RS is over simplfying. It isn't because the pump is physically located on the mount, it's because they literally copied the Asetek design.
No, I am not. Before dismissing my claims, please follow all the links I provided and read them. You should read in detail and analyze Asetek's actual drawings that they submitted to see what they patented. It has nothing to do with "identical" design. Clearly Fury X and Gigabyte Xtreme 980Ti's cooling plates and so on are not identical but it doesn't matter.
"Sure, Asetek’s patent has actually been in the works for the past 6 years, but that doesn’t change the fact that their solution is in no way unique or novel to what has already been implemented before. They’ve intentionally made their patent vague so that it wouldn’t appear to target graphics cards exactly, but the reality is that GPUs are the hottest possible add-in card you could install in your system and Asetek knows it.
They’ve also made their patent intentionally vague in order to catch any other possible implementations where something like a Xeon Phi add-in card (as opposed to the socketed ones) would require cooling but isn’t technically a graphics card.
Their first patent application mentions a “graphics card thermal interposer” but fails to mention any innovations such as microchannels, which didn’t exist at that time but is mentioned in this granted patent filing. In fact, the actual patent that was granted changes the language to “Thermal interposer liquid cooling system” and includes both liquid cooling systems and cold plate assemblies. There are some included drawings as well, but if you get the jist of it, using the drawings and the claimed language, they’re basically trying to claim a patent on a self-contained GPU water cooling system where the radiator has a fan and is not directly attached to the GPU.
http://vrworld.com/2014/07/02/aseteks-watercooling-patent-will-hurt-consumers/
You can literally create a GPU cooling unit that looks
completely different from Asetek's and lose. It's the process/idea that they patented
before they even created such products themselves!!! Obviously if you copy 100% their existing 120mm AIO CLC designs, you will just lose even quicker but even if you do not copy the physical design but you copy the idea of putting the pump with the waterblock, you'd still lose.
"But as you can see, Asetek has had quite a few patents for various things which include server liquid cooling and generic liquid cooling solutions. However, Asetek has done this before time and time again, by patenting something that their competitors already have on the market and then using that patent to either kill their products or to get some sort of a cut. "
It's YOU who is over-simplying this patent troll company. Again, the fault here is entirely on the U.S.'s archaic patent system and Asetek is riding it all the way to the bank.
if they all bought licenses, cm is in huge trouble.
Ya, exactly since there is precedent for the patent wins on Asetek's behalf that granted them the right to collect licenses from similar cases. That means the lawsuit would be directed at CM and by extension all products CM sells which breach the patent(s). If CM sold products to NV, AMD, Intel, an injunction would be issued to stop the sale of all of those products since CM is in breach of patent with Asetek. Essentially it means CM is liable to Asetek and CM is liable to AMD since CM would be unable to fulfill the obligations of its supplier agreement with AMD.
If CM loses, and fails to pay a licensing fee, CM defaults on the supplier agreement with AMD and there is termination. If CM agrees to pay the licensing fee, they cannot pass on these costs to AMD since the supplier agreement between AMD and CM would likely be a firm-fixed price contract to minimize the risk for the buyer (AMD). That means if any costs of production, licensing, logistics, warranty go up on behalf of CM, it's not AMD's problem since they would have negotiated a fixed price per unit sold based on estimated # of units. CM would have provided them some breakdown such as 1000 AIOs CLC cost $30/unit, 5000 AIO CLC cost $29/unit, 10000 AIO CLC cost $28/unit, etc.
The problem is Asetek files these other vague patents about GPU cooling system, which would then also apply to AMD, NV, Intel. Essentially they would ultimate force AMD, NV, Intel or their AIBs to pay licensing fees as well.
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