Z28Wilson

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2...rweb186804.htm

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) December 8, 2004 -- Frank Weyer, a patent attorney and inventor of U.S. Patent No. 5,975,728 issued on Nov. 2, 1999 announced today that he has sued Ford Motor Company for patent infringement. According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California as Civil Action No. 04-08630 CBM (SHx), the "MyColor" TM option that is part of the interior upgrade package on the highly touted 2005 Ford Mustang infringes Mr. Weyer's patent for "Method and Apparatus for Providing User Selectable Multi-Color Instrument Panel Illumination." Mr. Weyer conceived of his invention while a graduate student at M.I.T. After the U.S. Patent Office granted the patent in 1999, Mr. Weyer sent a letter to Ford and other automobile manufacturers offering to license his invention. Ford did not respond.

Now, five years later, the new Ford Mustang features a user color-changeable
instrument panel lighting system Ford calls "MyColor" that Mr. Weyer claims
infringes his patent. Mr. Weyer is seeking damages and an injunction that
would prevent Ford from selling or delivering any new Mustangs with the
"MyColor" option. Mr. Weyer, filed the complaint on October 19, 2004. Prior
to formally serving the complaint, Mr. Weyer contacted Ford, and offered to
reach a cooperative resolution. Ford initially requested additional time to
respond, which Mr. Weyer granted. After two months without a substantive
response from Ford, according to court rules, Mr. Weyer was required to
formally serve Ford with the complaint.

Mr. Weyer has informed Ford's in-house counsel that he is preparing a
preliminary injunction motion that he intends to file in the near future.
The preliminary injunction, if granted, would immediately bar Ford from
offering for sale, selling, manufacturing or delivering any 2005 Mustangs
with the infringing MyColor feature. That could prove to be a disappointment
for Ford, which has launched a massive media push behing the 2005 Mustang,
hoping that sales of the Mustang will drive its passenger car sales as a
whole.

WERM

According to some of the Ford sites, the guy that patented the idea did not pay the required maintenence fee so the patent expired early, and this guy no longer has a case.

But still, I can't believe they allowed that patent in the first place. Oohh Red Green and Blue LED's can be combined to make different colors of light. I've NEVER seen that before.

Z28Wilson

The technology itself is certainly nothing original, but the application of it certainly is. Anyone with an idea can get a patent, even if it's for an idea to improve an existing product or use existing technology in a new way. This is kind of like the guy who "invented" delay windshield wipers....the wipers obviously existed, the idea that you didn't need them on constantly was a no-brainer, but the system for controlling the delay was new.

If he let the patent expire then he truly has no case and he'll be kicking himself for the rest of his life. But if his story is true about holding a patent and then approaching Ford with the idea I wouldn't hold FMC totally blameless. Even if "legally" they did nothing wrong.

Meccadeth

I would seriously lmfao if this guy won.

zachisageek

Too bad my friends 92 Galant VR-4 has a color changing dash. Did mitsubishi steal this idea from the guy who patented the idea in 1999? :P

Z28x

aftermarket decks have had this tech for years.

94LightningGal

Actually, on some other websites that I have read, this guy really doesn't have a case.

According to them, while both create a color changable display, they do so in very different ways. In other words, about the only thing they have in common is LED's used to create the changing colors. Ford / Delphi's design uses a completely different delivery system, and this is what allows for the large range of colors.

This is very similar to someone who comes up with an idea that improves an existing patent. That is perfectly legal, and nothing is stolen. I'm sure that Ford looked into the patent that was held extensively before they decided to ignore the patent holder.

falchulk

Hmm, I thought Sony designed the Ford dash??

orbitalshock2k

Maybe he could put an end to the Mustang?

Big Als Z

Man, Ford cant do much without stealing someone elses design or idea.
I would also fall over laughing if this guy won....
Maybe everyone can change there color of there dash to blue because they are sad....
Is there anything original on, in or around the Mustang?

Andrew R

Ken S

It really depends on how the patent was written.. a good patent is broad enough to cover almost anything..

I just took a mandatory crash training on IP's and Patents at work.. Welcome to the cold war of IP and Patents.. beware of trolls.

Meccadeth

Lighten up...you'll last a lot longer around here if you don't take things at face value all the time

Andrew R

ive been around forever, just didnt bother to post

How do I want to put it? I cant decide how to. When people say that theres nothing original on the new stang, Ive gotta throw up the eyes, joking or not

We all know that Al's a huge closet ford fan

Big Als Z

Yeah...huge closet Ford fan...cause thats where I kept all the parts that fell off my 5 Tauri.

Please, inform me of one "ground breaking" thing the Mustang has in, on, or around it?
Design? Performance? Suspension? Bang for the buck?
I am half joking, half for real....ok, more like 70% real, 30% joking.