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So it looks like LitePanels won the lawsuit!
  • vicharrisvicharris

    Vitec Group Plc’s Litepanels unit won its bid to block U.S. imports of lighting for television and movie studios made overseas by competitors.

    The competing lighting modules infringe two Litepanels patents and should be barred from entering the country, the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington said in a notice today on its website. The decision can be overturned by President Barack Obama on public policy grounds.

    http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-01-17/vitec-s-litepanels-wins-led-patent-case-over-movie-tv-lighting

    I was wondering what was going on in this case, so I guess now we know! How exactly will this effect imports from Amazon, Ebay and and PV Deals here? Just scooped up a couple 1200 LED panels myself.

  • 19 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Sounds fun :-)

  • vicharrisvicharris

    What a bunch of assholes but I guess I understand it from a business perspective. It's just a shame for the low budget community.

  • robmneilsonrobmneilson

    as Frank Glencairn said I look forward to Chinese companies selling them as "work lights".

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @robmneilson

    Or, you can sell big panels as "ceiling light with DMX control for your home"

  • robmneilsonrobmneilson

    @vitaly that's so funny a "ceiling light with DMX control" is EXACTLY what I need for my living room. Assuming I can attach it to a 5/8 spud that comes standard in my apartment fixtures.

  • rockroadpixrockroadpix

    Doesn't EVERYBODY have a pigeon or two mounted to their ceilings?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Btw, Litepanles never wanted to shotdown imports, all they wanted is to get percentage payment. In other words it is scam performed using threat.

    Here is interesting article about Litepanels twin brother - Soverain Software's

    http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/01/how-newegg-crushed-the-shopping-cart-patent-and-saved-online-retail/

    This is also good match to Litepanels case

    Soverain also argued that its system was new and superior because it was adapted to the Internet, whereas CompuServe's system was a pre-Internet network.

    Just saying "do it on the Internet" isn't a novel invention, the appeals court ruled

    Chinese manufacturers really should go to appeal and find better lawyers.

  • mintcheeriosmintcheerios

    Well, they just lost a customer forever.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    So are there a couple of panels still available that we should snap up for a rainy day?

  • GH2UWGH2UW

    Don't blame LitePanels...like all corporate opportunists, they can't help themselves being greedy. It's the US "legal system" that's totally fucked:-)

  • svartsvart

    There are obvious patent trolls, like Soverein, etc. But there are others who actually make products. So trying to protect your product patents from being infringed on is now considered "greed"? Trying to protect your company from being destroyed by cheap knock-offs from countries who have a history of copying products and then manipulating costs to siphon revenue is bad? I bet if it were your company where you employ people who you know and who need those jobs and income, you'd think differently.

    The internet is a strange place. People think that just because you can get free information, that everything should be free. Someone has to pay for it though.

    The fact is that a majority of products made in china are attempts at exact copies from products that someone else spent a lot of time and money to develop. China has NO patent/trademark/copyright laws at all and actually has a culture of it being acceptable to sell secrets to competitors. I should know, the company I work for has had to fight legally because our chinese employees were caught selling secrets and trying to make copies of our products. We lost revenue, and people who were not even involved in the dirty dealings lost their jobs. Is that fair? Is that just us being greedy when we are trying to make money so that people don't lose their jobs and then their houses and then go hungry?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    There are obvious patent trolls, like Soverein, etc. But there are others who actually make products.

    Litepanels LED sales are tiny compare to any good Chinese factory.
    And I really suggest to check case in more detail, as Litepanels here play exactly patent troll role.

    So trying to protect your product patents from being infringed on is now considered "greed"?

    Whole patent system in it's current state is abnormal, yes. But here it is literal greed.

    Trying to protect your company from being destroyed by cheap knock-offs from countries who have a history of copying products and then manipulating costs to siphon revenue is bad?

    What the fuck is "manipulating costs to siphon revenue"? Btw "history of copying products " is present in each and every country, and it happens in each an every industry around the world.

    I bet if it were your company where you employ people who you know and who need those jobs and income, you'd think differently.

    You can think as you want.

    People think that just because you can get free information, that everything should be free. Someone has to pay for it though.

    This is just speculation and is not related to subject.

    The fact is that a majority of products made in china are attempts at exact copies from products that someone else spent a lot of time and money to develop.

    And it is good. Even if it absolutely exact copies.

    China has NO patent/trademark/copyright laws at all and actually has a culture of it being acceptable to sell secrets to competitors.

    This is absolutely false claim.

    India, for example, don't give a fuck about US/EU patents on medication. And this resulted in millions of saved lifes, not in India only.

    I should know, the company I work for has had to fight legally because our chinese employees were caught selling secrets and trying to make copies of our products. We lost revenue, and people who were not even involved in the dirty dealings lost their jobs. Is that fair?

    Yes, it is fair. It is other companies who want to steal your knowledge to save some money. happens all the time. From their side it is good, from yours not.

    Is that just us being greedy when we are trying to make money so that people don't lose their jobs and then their houses and then go hungry?

    Life is competition. Someone used to think that big houses and piles of food is forether. Nope.

  • disneytoydisneytoy

    My problem is there should never have been granted patents. LEDs are intended to produce and throw a certain amount of light through its lens. Putting a much in a panel is not innovation. Adding a dimmer to a light source is not innovation. Even adding a battery. So what is Lightpanels groundbreaking invention.

    I have an CREE LED flashlight that runs on a battery, has different brightness settings and can focus?

  • Xenocide38Xenocide38

    Did anything ever come of this? I have noticed some off-brand LED lights delisted from online retailers. Just coincidence?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Did anything ever come of this? I have noticed some off-brand LED lights delisted from online retailers. Just coincidence?

    I have no idea. They came to some agreement. Ala Rambus did. Small patent troll got some of your money.

  • KihlianKihlian

    Greed is selling something so overpriced like Litepanels. I bought the "China copy" for 1/4 of the price and I´m very happy with that. If there was only the Litepanels I will never buy them.

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