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Thread: Today the infamous "Electronic Gun Patents" expire and become public domain.

  1. #1

    Today the infamous "Electronic Gun Patents" expire and become public domain.

    Today the infamous "Electronic Gun" patents expire and become public domain. That means that the technological concepts covered in them are free for anyone to use as they wish without having to pay any royalties to anyone.

    Whilst there never was one "microswitch patent" as commonly claimed by people discussing the subject on the internet, there were at least 6 electronic gun patents (and a large number of continuations) which have been the most fought over and costly patents in the history of paintball.

    Those patents, 5,881,707; 5,967,133; 6,035,843; 6,474,326; 6,637,421; 7,100,593 and any continuations were based upon the work originally filed on January 16th 1996. 20 Years ago today.

    The original patent can be seen and read here

    Since 1995 a patent lasts for 20 years from the date of it's application filing. So as of tomorrow the technology taught in those patents is public domain and free for everyone to use without requiring any royalties.

    Over the last 20 years the Intellectual Property (IP) taught in those patents was hotly disputed. Inventorship was challenged, novelty was challenged, prior art was found and many companies spent huge amounts on legal fees.

    Some companies chose to pay and absorbed the royalty cost as part of business. Others paid and passed the costs on to the end consumer. Some companies chose not to produce electronic guns and others redesigned their products to try and get outside of the patents or simply chose not to release products. There were many court battles fought and overall the lawyers made a lot of money from the fights.

    There are rumours that the SP/WDP lawsuit cost over $4,000,000

    It cost some companies dearly, in financial terms, in brand reputation, maybe even their existence, and it made others significant sums of money. It made the existence of some small companies, like board manufacturers difficult because they had to pay the same royalty on a circuit board as gun manufacturers did on a full gun.

    The group of patents were originally owned by Smart Parts, with WDP acquiring some ownership rights due to their huge lawsuit with Smart Parts. The group (adding in Dye at one point due to claims on another patent US 5613483, since abandoned and now also public domain) then pooled their technology and licensed it to others in the industry.

    After Smart Parts went bankrupt, KEE Action Sports ended up acquiring the "electronic gun" patents and continued licensing them, and then recently (and for only a short while) due to their acquisition GI ended up owning all of the IP.

    That is all now public domain. It's going to be interesting to see what that means for the future.

    • Will it mean more start up electronic gun companies?
    • Will existing companies be more tempted to enter the electronic gun market?
    • Will aftermarket board companies make a comeback?
    • Will it mean more affordable electronic gun products (especially at the lower end where the royalty was a higher percentage of the cost of making the gun...)

  2. #2
    Hebrews 13:8 going_home's Avatar
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    Very interesting.

    Does this mean an Inception Designs new electronic marker is on the horizon ?

    Also what are your thoughts (whats your take) on the pneumatic trigger patents that Deadlywind and Pro Team Products had a Mexican standoff on ?

    Gforce in Canada did make a pneumatic frame for mags and neither of the said parties intervened but it seemed it wasnt a very good product
    Last edited by going_home; 01-16-2016 at 11:50 AM.
    endeavor to persevere.......

  3. #3
    Simon doesn't make guns, he designs "Dreams"!

  4. #4
    Insider
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    This entered into our thought process very little with the Paragon, tons more barriers to entry than the IP. Very glad to see it clear the books, regardless.
    "So you've done this before?"
    "Oh, hell no. But I think it's gonna work."

  5. #5
    Hebrews 13:8 going_home's Avatar
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    Will this help the J4 guys at all ?
    endeavor to persevere.......

  6. #6
    Go get em Simon

  7. #7
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    Will this help the J4 guys at all ?
    In all honesty, we are our own problem.

    KEE enforcement was very hands off and they didn't really take advantage of us at all. No charge from them. We actually wrote them and they handed us paperwork but it all still had "Smart Parts" in it - never really heard form them after that.
    Josh Coray
    J4 Paintball
    Lead Design
    www.j4paintball.com

  8. #8
    pewpewpew vijil's Avatar
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    Are there patents on eyes and boards etc. that still apply to anyone trying to make an electro?
    https://www.instagram.com/vijil/
    I draw guns and spaceships and bunnies

  9. #9
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    They retro-dated all of their patents onto the old Shocker patents, as an Extension of the original patent. So all of that expired at the same time.
    Josh Coray
    J4 Paintball
    Lead Design
    www.j4paintball.com

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