MacDev Sign with Smart Parts

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2006

MacDev Takes License Under Smart Parts' Electronic Paintball Gun Patents August 24, 2006

Smart Parts, Inc. and Mac Developments (MacDev) announced the signing of a patent license agreement giving MacDev a worldwide, non-exclusive license to make, sell, offer for sale, and distribute products covered by Smart Parts' electronic paintball gun patents. Smart Parts owns several U.S. and international patents and pending patent applications related to the use of electronics in the control and operation of paintball guns. These include, for instance, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,881,707; 5,967,133; 6,035,843; 6,474,326 B1; and 6,637,421 B2, as well as patents and/or pending patent applications in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, and other countries.I'm surprised no one brought this up. So, what are your thoughts? What will we see in the future?

[Tabris17]

This was brought up on PBN. All it is is the fact SP patented a bunch of stuff on electro markers, essentially locking down any aspect of an electro in their name. So whenever anybody makes a new marker they have to pay SP rolayties for 'their design' or they are faced with a law suit. This is why AKA is no longer making markers.
It's a dirty tactic by SP to make money and keep business for themselves by suing other smaller companies out of business. Macdev just settled the patents for the 06 Cyborg with SP so that they can continue to make Cyborgs.

[paintballer667]

A MacDev shocker? That would just suck.

[Engine of End]

This was brought up on PBN. All it is is the fact SP patented a bunch of stuff on electro markers, essentially locking down any aspect of an electro in their name. So whenever anybody makes a new marker they have to pay SP rolayties for 'their design' or they are faced with a law suit. This is why AKA is no longer making markers.
It's a dirty tactic by SP to make money and keep business for themselves by suing other smaller companies out of business. Macdev just settled the patents for the 06 Cyborg with SP so that they can continue to make Cyborgs.Well that's just peachy.

I'm guessing we can expect to see an increase in price for Cyborgs?

[Tabris17]

No, I think the price is already reflected in the markers themselves. And no, no macdev shockers. It just means when Macdev or any other company makes an electronic marker they have to pay SP to market it because SP owns the patents to the electronics and how the marker operates. The patents they own basically blocks any other company from marketing a marker without paying SP; no matter what they do at this point in time they have to pay SP if they make an electronic marker.

[paintballer667]

Ahh, I see.

[Uziel Gal]

I've been told that one of the patents covers the use of a microswitch in a paintball marker - that can be applied to just about any electronic marker and almost every aftermarket board.

Very much the same as VL patenting the use optical sensors in paintball loaders, without specifying break beam or reflective, allowing them to use the break beam system themselves, and still go on to litigate against Odyssey for using a reflective system..... :rolleyes:

[Tabris17]

I believe the microswitch is one of the patents that SP has. At least Eclipse can get around that with the optical beam on the Ego's but not on the Eteks as Eteks use microswitches. Bob Long just had to jump through the same hoops with SP over the Blast/Mummy marker.

[Jester36]

imho i hate to say it but its all fair game till its been patented

[DirtyBirdy51]

what a low for smart parts. im terribly dissappointed with them.

[falcon 47]

SP needs to go to hell

[Tabris17]

SP needs to go to hell

Well said.

[Pro_Backman]

If Smart Parts hadn't done this another company would of, they just got to it first.
What if it was Macdev who had gotten to this first Tabris?

[Uziel Gal]

There have been similar instances to this in the past where, "for the betterment of paintball", manufacturers have chosen not to sue other companies, so that we the players have a wider choice of equipment available to us, at lower prices.

One example would be Palmer not litigating against WGP for using the automated cocking system that he is widely accepted to have designed, and that WGP re-packaged in modular form to create the Autococker.

OK, so it is a sound business decision to remove your competition, or at least to get money from them, but with a relatively small number of manufacturers to begin with, it is an action that can only result in less choice for us and the potential for prices to increase in order to cover court costs, licensing agreements etc. On the whole, not a good thing for paintball.

[wise690]

Just another reason I hate SP. They are so dirty.

[synkronics]

Just another reason I hate SP. They are so dirty.
and another reason not to buy an ion

[Cocker22]

SP they prey on small compainies for personal gain i hate sp! they suck.

[Tabris17]

Wow, such violence and hatred. You know you all want to join the Macdev forum now. :D

[Mr. Aardvark]

Companies like SP are why I'm a communist.

[falcon 47]

md forum is turning into an anti sp forum.... sweet

[Tabris17]

What can I say? We try to spear head a cause every now and then.

[Uziel Gal]

It's something to do while waiting for other posts to come along. Otherwise we'd have to sit here and play "I Spy".....

[Tabris17]

Well Uziel... if you and the rest of pbr would start buying Cyborgs instead of Angel and Dye markers we would have a more active forum. :P
I can only post so much in this forum by myself before I start looking crazy.

[Uziel Gal]

Too late for that..... You've been looking crazy for a while now! :crazy: :P

[Tabris17]

I see.... Australian People. :eek2:

[Uziel Gal]

Tabris, stop panicking, that's a modern thing we call 3G telephony or "video conferencing".....

You're still mad though! http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/straight-jacket.gif

[eikeon]

patents have a time line on them for X amount of years so SP can't hold it forever

[falcon 47]

they won't have it forever, just an eternity