More problems for Ford... this time with the Mustang!

[shenaniganz]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
So this guy patented different color lights in instrument cluster? He should be suing every ricer on the road.

I'm sure there's more to the patent. It says Method and Apparatus for Providing User Selectable Multi-Color Instrument Panel Illumination. I'm sure he didn't just patent the idea of a multiple colored instrument cluster.

 

[datalink7]

This is highly annoying, as I ordered a Mustang with the IUP and it is now delayed because of this. And here's the thing... I couldn't give a rats ass about MyColor. I got IUP so I could get red leather seats.

:|

 

[imthebadguy]

this is a really nice optiion, i hate when manufacturers build these good items and then all the whack-o's come out of teh woodwork saying that the idea was theirs

 

[0roo0roo]

f*ck him and his patent. little gadgets with color changing have been around forever..

 

[whalen]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
Ford also took the liberty of not changing the name from "MyColor". Pretty blantant.

??? MyColor is Ford's name for it not the MIT guy.

Originally posted by: N8Magic
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 2005 Ford Mustang infringes Mr. Weyer's patent for "Method and Apparatus for Providing User Selectable Multi-Color Instrument Panel Illumination."

 

[boyRacer]

Patent

Frankly, I think that feature is pretty ghey. That car is still hot without it.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I wonder what would happen if they do have to stop sale of this

Prices of ones already out on the market would be a lot years from now

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: dman

Honestly, I know little about the patent process, but the fact that there are companies in existing who's sole purpose is to sue others for patent infringement of thier ideas leads me to believe that patenting is fundamentally flawed. However, I have yet to see a good idea on how to fix it.

Is that because someone is patenting their patent process?

/ugh

The problem with the patent process is simply that there is no review of them to see how fundamental the concepts are and no checks to make sure that an idea isn't already in wide deployed use by someone else before someone patents it.

You make it sound like its an automatic acceptance if you submit a patent when in reality most patents are rejected in their first submission.

 

[notfred]

Ford will either:
1) hire a whole bunch of expensive lawyers to keepthis guy in litigation forever.
2) Buy the patent from the guy
3) Sell the car with no option for changing the color of the dashboard lights.

You're a complete idiot if you think Ford's going to stop selling Mustangs because of this.

 

[Chadder007]

Patents should only be approved for truely inovative and working ideas.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Originally posted by: datalink7
This is highly annoying, as I ordered a Mustang with the IUP and it is now delayed because of this. And here's the thing... I couldn't give a rats ass about MyColor. I got IUP so I could get red leather seats.

:|

I think the IUP delay is due to that Ford underestimated the demand for it, see here: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=14240