Ultra Products Sues Power Supply Manufacturers

[malware]

There's not a lot of information on the web regarding this case filled in the Florida Middle District Court, but it seems that Ultra Products is now searching for legal ways to sue a whole bunch of power supply manufacturers that infringe on of their patents for modular power supplies. The companies that are being sued by Ultra Products include: Antec, Corsair Memory, Enhance Electronics, E-Power Technology/PCMCIS, FSP Group USA, Koolance USA, Mushkin, OCZ Technology, Sea Sonic Electronics, Silverstone Technology, SPI Electronic, Spire-Bytecom Fanner Corporation, Tagan Technology, Thermaltake Technology, Topower Computer Industrial, Topower Computer U.S.A., Zalman Technology Company and pretty much every company that has manufactured modular PSUs.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[xfire]

It seems to be a great time to be a lawyer.

 

[Wile E]

Well, this is bad news. Was Ultra the first to market with a modular psu?

 

[candle_86]

yep the X-Connect started it

 

[DanishDevil]

Performance-PCs was the first to sell modular PSUs I believe. At least that's what they boast. Ultra may have been the first to patent it, and if they did exclusively, they're going to make a BOATLOAD of money!

 

[Exceededgoku]

There'll be legal loopholes, such as Silverstone could say they use a modular powersupply with 8 pins instead of 4. It really depends how well Ultra patented their idea...

 

[DanishDevil]

I agree. They would have had to be super-broad, and I don't think that's possible with patents because then there would be too many monopolies.

 

[patton45]

Ultra was the first modular psu and the frist modular psu from other companys were very similar to the ultra but most companies have special features and new designs and features like esa so it wont suprise me if this law suit will cover psu manufactured between a certian time frame

 

[pentastar111]

This is ridiculous!...That's like Ford suing Chrysler for making cars...or Mcdonalds suing Jack-in-the-crack for selling burgers...pretty fracking lame if you ask me...:shadedshu

 

[choppy]

This is ridiculous!...That's like Ford suing Chrysler for making cars...or Mcdonalds suing Jack-in-the-crack for selling burgers...pretty fracking lame if you ask me...:shadedshu

EXACTLY!! its ridiculous! i guess when your not selling much its the only way to make to quick buck eh

 

[cdawall]

This is ridiculous!...That's like Ford suing Chrysler for making cars...or Mcdonalds suing Jack-in-the-crack for selling burgers...pretty fracking lame if you ask me...:shadedshu

umm no this is not the same thing as that ultra came up with a good idea that sold well now a bunch of people have copied that idea and ultra isn't making as much money off it. this is like lets say chevy started putting hemi's in there cars and trucks would dodge sue? HELL YEA! that was ultra's idea and they have evrey right to defend it this is what patents are for.

 

[Megasty]

I saw this coming a long time ago. The first one to patent an idea wins. Performance-PCs was the first to do it but what made no sense is why they didn't patent it. Ultra perfected it though. Most of the copies out there really do look like cheap knockoffs

 

[GJSNeptune]

Ulnless I'm an idiot, the companies Ultra is suing aren't PSU manufacturers. Hell, I'm pretty Ultra has PSUs rebranded as well. I'm quite positive there are only a few actual manufacturers, such as with optical drives, blank disc media, etc.

Ultra should be suing the manufacturers for allowing other companies to use the modular interface.

 

[Evo85]

Everybody suing everybody these days.....


Very sad :shadedshu

 

[asb2106]

I saw this coming a long time ago. The first one to patent an idea wins. Performance-PCs was the first to do it but what made no sense is why they didn't patent it. Ultra perfected it though. Most of the copies out there really do look like cheap knockoffs

are you kidding me, of all the makers of modular PSUs, I would have to say I like Ultra the least. Antec, OCZ, Silverstone, Seasonic, Topower, ECT. are all better PSUs than Ultra. Im not saying Ultra are crap, but they are no were near the best.

Patent laws are a tough topic, I dont think it will be too hard for the companys to wiggle out of this. They might even just settle really low to make Ultra shutup. To me this is a sign that Ultra is down for the count right now.

Ultra was hot when they were the only Modular manufactorer, I remember When I had the xconnect 550, it was great. But it died after 8 months of normal use. Not that great.....

Since other companies have made modular there is very little reason to get an Ultra, and this is just an attack to try to revive the company however it can

 

[asb2106]

Ulnless I'm an idiot, the companies Ultra is suing aren't PSU manufacturers. Hell, I'm pretty Ultra has PSUs rebranded as well. I'm quite positive there are only a few actual manufacturers, such as with optical drives, blank disc media, etc.

Ultra should be suing the manufacturers for allowing other companies to use the modular interface.

Antec, Corsair Memory, Enhance Electronics, E-Power Technology/PCMCIS, FSP Group USA, Koolance USA, Mushkin, OCZ Technology, Sea Sonic Electronics, Silverstone Technology, SPI Electronic, Spire-Bytecom Fanner Corporation, Tagan Technology, Thermaltake Technology, Topower Computer Industrial, Topower Computer U.S.A., Zalman Technology Company

All those companies manufactor their own PSUs. Some antecs are made by Seasonic(earthwatts), but all the manufacturers make their own Modular PSU

 

[GJSNeptune]

Seasonic makes Corsair's HX PSUs.

Hmm. I guess I read something awhile ago that was purely made up. Now I know!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_computer_hardware_manufacturers#Power_supplies

(I'm a raging idiot.)

 

[cdawall]

are you kidding me, of all the makers of modular PSUs, I would have to say I like Ultra the least. Antec, OCZ, Silverstone, Seasonic, Topower, ECT. are all better PSUs than Ultra. Im not saying Ultra are crap, but they are no were near the best.

Patent laws are a tough topic, I dont think it will be too hard for the companys to wiggle out of this. They might even just settle really low to make Ultra shutup. To me this is a sign that Ultra is down for the count right now.

Ultra was hot when they were the only Modular manufactorer, I remember When I had the xconnect 550, it was great. But it died after 8 months of normal use. Not that great.....

Since other companies have made modular there is very little reason to get an Ultra, and this is just an attack to try to revive the company however it can

just cause its not the best doesn't make it any less there patent on modular cabling

i doubt ultra is down right now they sell tons of crap anywhere from DDR2 to cases hell they even have some HSF

 

[GJSNeptune]

But imagine the excitement when someone brings up, "Hey, we can sue for modular! That's like two dozen companies!"

 

[asb2106]

just cause its not the best doesn't make it any less there patent on modular cabling

i doubt ultra is down right now they sell tons of crap anywhere from DDR2 to cases hell they even have some HSF

hey Im not saying they arent right about their patent. But Im pretty sure that patent is not broad enough to cover that. Maybe it does, who knows.

And we are not talking about DDR2 and HSFs, just PSUs, and I can personally speak for the quality. It was definitly lacking..... Maybe I got a dud, but I though 170 bucks would have gotten me a decent 550W PSU

 

[asb2106]

But imagine the excitement when someone brings up, "Hey, we can sue for modular! That's like two dozen companies!"

Exactly,

IF this was really an issue dont you think they would have done this 2 years ago when Antec and a bunch of other companies already had modulars out????

Its not about the patent, they need money

 

[intel igent]

this is a joke, ultra is crap and this lawsuit reaffirms that fact.

there's been moduar PSU's in the market for what? 5-6 yrs?

ultra =

 

[GJSNeptune]

Companies always wait years before they sue. Let the culprits make lots of money from infringing, and then sue them for all of it.

 

[erocker]

This is a joke! The guy who invented electical wall outlets should sue Ultra for infringing on his design!

 

[GJSNeptune]

Does Ultra make wall outlets?