Ultra Products Sues Power Supply Manufacturers

[DanishDevil]

If Ultra became the sole manufacturer of modular PSUs, non-modular PSUs would surely make a comeback.

Don't really know what you mean by this. I'm assuming you mean that they will become more readily available, and companies will start playing off the fact that non-modular is better because there is less of a voltage drop with hardwiring than with connectors, but a lot of people, like me, would much prefer a modular PSU over non-modular, simply to keep unneeded and unwanted cables out.

What I hope comes of this if it does come down to Ultra being the only modular PSU manufacturer is that Ultra actually starts churning out some awesome high-end PSUs.

they've got a patent though so in the court of law, it should be honored.. i mean the song happy birthday is copy righted for damns sake.

I have a different view on this.

In California, as well as many other states, we have a term called "Spirit of the Law" versus "Letter of the Law" that is used in regards to Law Enforcement.

Say a newlywed couple is sitting on the beach sharing a couple of glasses of wine watching the sunset together. The law is, no alcohol on the beach. Letter of the Law says that you cite them both. Spirit of the Law allows you to make a reasonable decision on the action to take. Under Spirit of the Law, you could still cite them, leave them alone, or simply let them know that there is no alcohol allowed on the beach, and ask them to stop drinking it.

I think a similar decision will take place. If they would have caught this earlier, say right after the patent passed, then maybe it wouldn't have such a drastic effect on the market. I think because 60% (or somewhere around there...) of PSUs that system builders buy are modular, Ultra won't end up getting all they could possibly get.

Also keep in mind the term monopoly. Patents aren't meant to create them. If Ultra gains exclusive rights to manufacturer modular PSUs, then they will be a monopolist in the modular PSU market. I have faith that the government will not let this happen. If they do find that Ultra deserves a settlement, I believe that smaller PSU companies will die, but they will ensure to not bankrupt all the companies to create a monopoly.

 

[panchoman]

thats just bias, just cause you think that they are a crap brand doesn't mean that their patent claim and suit aren't legit.

 

[MKmods]

i did read the article dude.. i and i still dont see the the idea of plugs and sockets on the AC (inside) of a bloody PC psu as original..

call it what u like its plugs and sockets stuck on something that previously didnt have plugs and sockets.. very original..

ultra might be the first to be cheeky enough to patent such an (unoriginal idea) and i am still amazed that they got away with it..

which probably explains why so many seem to have broken the patent.. it never occurred to them that such an unoriginal idea was under a patent.. it wouldnt to me..

but i am just a normal kinda dude.. who thinks in a normal kinda way not a member of the legal profession..

but as u say its all there.. my views are that in a vaguely sane world it shouldnt have been allowed to be all there.. the patent should never have been granted..

trog

I dont think its plugs and sockets. Ultra actually made a circut board that attaches to the ps.
The Silverstone modular I have has plugs actually on the case (loose, not attached to a circut board)
I dont think that would be a copy. But using a PCB to attach the plugs to I think is what Ultra patented.

 

[pentastar111]

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.

Well, a few companies did. Ford came out with a "Hemi" style engine, the Boss 429 http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0609_ford_boss_429/photo_05.html and Oldsmobile also had a few monster 455 Hemi style test engines actually built and running....http://tech.classicoldsmobile.com/32.shtml The Ford model found it's way into mustangs and if my memory serves me right, a few others for nascar...The Olds project model coming too late in the game, was scrapped because of the the new emission requirements, rising costs to insure the high powered cars, the cost to produce this engine and the final death nell for all of the really big powerplants was of course the first big "oil crisis" of the early 70's.... To my knowledge Chrysler did not sue anybody over any patents and neither should Ultra...all PSU's look alike in some ways, they do the same things yet are built a little different from company to company. Unless they are being built using Ultra's blueprints and are exactly like an ultra, Ultra is wasting theirs and everybody elses time...

 

[jtleon]

Lets consider the Patent for a minute

Here's the abstract.

United States Patent 7,313,000 Fiorentino , et al. December 25, 2007 Power distribution system for a personal computer

Abstract The present invention relates to power supplies, methods of installing power supplies, power distribution systems and methods of installing power distribution systems. More particularly, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a power distribution system for receiving AC current from an AC current source and for distributing DC current inside of a computer case.
Inventors: Fiorentino; Carl (Miami, FL), Kuo; Chih-Wei (Taipei, TW) Assignee: Ultra Products, Inc. (Miami, FL)
Appl. No.: 11/065,617 Filed: February 23, 2005


As you can see, the TigerDirect Kingpin Carl is the inventor.

As an engineer with my own patent, it appears Carl has a rock solid case against all who sell in the U.S. and possibly abroad. That is why patents exist - to promote and protect inventions.

See attached image from page 2 of the patent.

Check out the patent date - Dec 2007 - Carl has been building his case for the past 3 months - no Patent Attorney would touch it if it was not golden!

Regards,

jtleon

 

[cdawall]

Well, a few companies did. Ford came out with a "Hemi" style engine, the Boss 429 http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0609_ford_boss_429/photo_05.html and Oldsmobile also had a few monster 455 Hemi style test engines actually built and running....http://tech.classicoldsmobile.com/32.shtml The Ford model found it's way into mustangs and if my memory serves me right, a few others for nascar...The Olds project model coming too late in the game, was scrapped because of the the new emission requirements, rising costs to insure the high powered cars, the cost to produce this engine and the final death nell for all of the really big powerplants was of course the first big "oil crisis" of the early 70's.... To my knowledge Chrysler did not sue anybody over any patents and neither should Ultra...all PSU's look alike in some ways, they do the same things yet are built a little different from company to company. Unless they are being built using Ultra's blueprints and are exactly like an ultra, Ultra is wasting theirs and everybody elses time...

this is more how i meant it

off topic, but technically all multi-valve engines have hemi combustion chambers and most racing bodies like IHRA prostock have hemi heads on dodge, chevy, and ford motors. Dodge just likes putting the badge on shit, but nobody can use the HEMI brand on cars, so i guess you are kinda right with that analogy.

looks like i wasn't the only one with that view

thats just bias, just cause you think that they are a crap brand doesn't mean that their patent claim and suit aren't legit.

ummm that makes no sense your saying that because a company makes a good product its above the law?

 

[GJSNeptune]

Don't really know what you mean by this.

I meant that I would prefer a non-modular PSU over anything Ultra puts out.

Not nearly as bad as Powmax, I'll give them that.

 

[cdawall]

I meant that I would prefer a non-modular PSU over anything Ultra puts out.

Not nearly as bad as Powmax, I'll give them that.

actually some of there newer parts are made by seventeam like the x-pro 750w seventeam is a very good OEM who makes silverstones PSUs

 

[candle_86]

meh make your own if they stop making them, you need some wire cutters, crimpers and readily avaible electrical plugs

 

[GJSNeptune]

Yeah right. I'm even a little apprehensive about modding my Sunbeam Rheobus' LEDs with resistors. I've never even soldered before.

 

[DanishDevil]

You're worried about soldering? I'd be worried about accidentally touching a capacitor and getting blown across the room...

 

[GJSNeptune]

I'm not dumb enough to mod it while it's on.

(It's still NIB)

 

[DanishDevil]

Capacitors in PSUs can hold a deadly charge for up to 3 months after the unit has been powered on...

 

[candle_86]

who said doing it inside your computer, give me a week to get the parts i need and ill show you what i mean

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

Capacitors in PSUs can hold a deadly charge for up to 3 months after the unit has been powered on...

Yes I know this from personal experience... been shocked... not that bad, good thing I touched it with the back of my hand.

 

[GJSNeptune]

Huh? Are we talking about my mod project?

 

[jbunch07]

You're worried about soldering? I'd be worried about accidentally touching a capacitor and getting blown across the room...

thats his avatar after he does that

jk man dont take that offensively

 

[DanishDevil]

^lawl

Yeah, back on topic guys. We can bring this PSU shocking thing to another forum

Or, we could start one in the postwhore thread @ TechFuzion hehe

 

[jonnyGURU]

i did read the article dude.. i and i still dont see the the idea of plugs and sockets on the AC (inside) of a bloody PC psu as original..

call it what u like its plugs and sockets stuck on something that previously didnt have plugs and sockets.. very original..

ultra might be the first to be cheeky enough to patent such an (unoriginal idea) and i am still amazed that they got away with it..

which probably explains why so many seem to have broken the patent.. it never occurred to them that such an unoriginal idea was under a patent.. it wouldnt to me..

but i am just a normal kinda dude.. who thinks in a normal kinda way not a member of the legal profession..

but as u say its all there.. my views are that in a vaguely sane world it shouldnt have been allowed to be all there.. the patent should never have been granted..

trog

Your very response above tells me you didn't read it... or much of it... or didn't understand what you were reading.

There's no mention of "plugs and sockets inside" the PSU... certainly no "AC" sockets... other than Ultra describing how the product is used.

In patents, to narrow a claim, you not only have to describe what exactly you're patenting, but you have to describe it in context to the device in which the patented item is being used with. Furthermore, you have to describe the application of the device and how it is used over all. So that includes describing how it's a PSU, that converts AC to DC, installed inside a PC, powering peripherals, etc. So if you only skim the patent, I imagine you could walk away with the conception of "Oh crap, Ultra just patented a power supply with cables that unplug... how can they get away with that?"

Like I said, they didn't patent the "idea" of modularizing a power supply. They patented the interface on the housing of the PSU that the cables plug into. That is something that had not been done prior to the patent being filed in 2004. If you go to the US ITC website, search by date, put in the date of the complaint (04/04/08) and then scroll down to the Ultra suit and click to show "more sections" you'll see 17 100 page scanned PDF's of all of the "exhibits" which include prior art that LOOKS modular, but are not used in the same application, or claim to be modular but do not make the product modular in the same fashion. That's another thing you have to do when you patent something and that's reveal and potential prior art and explain why your patent is not actually related to that prior design.

It's not a "patent of plugs and sockets" and if you actually read and understood the patent you'd understand why I think you're response is a bit off base.

Now beer me....

 

[pentastar111]

This kind of debating is EXACTLY why I keep coming to TPU......

 

[eidairaman1]

cough, the plug designs are different, so i dont see how they can sue, also it sounds like their sales are down because they are trying to sue others.

 

[Nemesis881]

The irony of all this....my Ultra PSU isn't modular

 

[jonnyGURU]

cough, the plug designs are different, so i dont see how they can sue....

They didn't patent the plugs themselves. Again, they patented the modular interface attached to the housing of a PSU with plugs (non-specific) for the DC output cables to interface with.

But I do agree that sales might be down or something. I mean, I have no factual data on that or anything, but I was reading the ITC complaint and they're actually suing one of their own OEM's. That's no way to maintain good business relations. Andyson is listed as a defendant because they made modular PSU's for Aerocool, Hiper and Sunbeam (none of the companies are in the market anymore either... are they???) that infringed on the Ultra patent... yet Andyson is also the company that makes the X3 series of power supplies.

WTF?!?

 

[candle_86]

Well, a few companies did. Ford came out with a "Hemi" style engine, the Boss 429 http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0609_ford_boss_429/photo_05.html and Oldsmobile also had a few monster 455 Hemi style test engines actually built and running....http://tech.classicoldsmobile.com/32.shtml The Ford model found it's way into mustangs and if my memory serves me right, a few others for nascar...The Olds project model coming too late in the game, was scrapped because of the the new emission requirements, rising costs to insure the high powered cars, the cost to produce this engine and the final death nell for all of the really big powerplants was of course the first big "oil crisis" of the early 70's.... To my knowledge Chrysler did not sue anybody over any patents and neither should Ultra...all PSU's look alike in some ways, they do the same things yet are built a little different from company to company. Unless they are being built using Ultra's blueprints and are exactly like an ultra, Ultra is wasting theirs and everybody elses time...

Actully Dodge built the first hemi in 1941 and used it in the Jeeps they built for WW2. The Crysler Hemi doesnt patten the hemi shape at all, just the angel of the hemi, so anyone else can do it, just not with the same angel

 

[jonnyGURU]

Actully Dodge built the first hemi in 1941 and used it in the Jeeps they built for WW2. The Crysler Hemi doesnt patten the hemi shape at all, just the angel of the hemi, so anyone else can do it, just not with the same angel

And that's a PERFECT example of how these patents work. You HAVE TO narrow your claim. If others infinge, fine. You sue. If someone wants to use your idea and copy it exactly, they should have to pay. Otherwise, come up with a new idea. Change it enough to where it no longer infringes.