# PFO Lays of all of it's staff



## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Very sad day. Even though I haven't hopped on the LED bandwagon yet it's still very much a step backward for innovation.

Read the article here


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

wow.. that is a shame!


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I don't understand patents.. it makes me sick... the company should not have laid off the staff, should have told the company to go stick it in their mules.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I had heard this rumor over on RC a few weeks ago, and they said it was just that, but I guess now it's true.

On the LED front, I hope AI is faring better.


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

ameekplec. said:


> I had heard this rumor over on RC a few weeks ago, and they said it was just that, but I guess now it's true.
> 
> On the LED front, I hope AI is faring better.


I've been reading the same....

They are going after anyone that is using LED as the main lighting so things like moon lights they don't want any royalties.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Man, that is absolutely retarded. Gotta love American patent law.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

UnderTheSea said:


> I've been reading the same....
> 
> They are going after anyone that is using LED as the main lighting so things like moon lights they don't want any royalties.


that's a fragging load of crack. What if people want to be more energy efficent and use LED's?

That company needs to release the plans on the net. Can't sue everyone....dumbfrags.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

that really really really SUCKS BAD!!!!!!!!!!!

why was such a bogus patent even allowed???

and sunstar, it's the USA, they CAN sue ANYONE! and EVERYONE! BAH!


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

they were way over priced anyways.. i would never concider buying one.. Big als in scarborough has one on there reef tank and i dont like the way you can see the dots in the tank of the different colour leds on the corals and gravel. Im gonna try one of these on ebay.. i'll be the beta tester for all you guys and tell ya how it works.. gonna order one in a few weeks. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230321236938&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=230319755078&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget&_trksid=p284.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%252BIA%26itu%3DIA%252BUCI%26otn%3D4%26ps%3D42


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Those are garbage. People have tried them, and they are garbage.

The LED lighting systems are expensive right now, and will probably be non-existent (except for European/non-American makers) as a resutl of this patent, but fundamentally it's a great system: unlimited control of available colour temperature, lighting cycles, intensity, the list goes on. If I had the money I was very close to getting one too.

It's definitely a sad for all lighting companies.


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

cablemike said:


> they were way over priced anyways.. i would never concider buying one.. Big als in scarborough has one on there reef tank and i dont like the way you can see the dots in the tank of the different colour leds on the corals and gravel. Im gonna try one of these on ebay.. i'll be the beta tester for all you guys and tell ya how it works.. gonna order one in a few weeks.


I know it's expensive today, but I wouldn't say overpriced. High power LEDs are expensive to begin with, so producing a main lighting system using array of those expensive LEDs will cost quite a bit.

Once the high power LED prices come down, and demand goes up, the price will be much more attractive.

Regardless, I'm stunned that you can actually patent "use of an existing product in an area not patented for yet", does not include any sort of new design of any kind. Strictly speaking, it's an idea. I wonder if there are separate patents in existence for LED's use in automotive headlights, interior lights, tail lights, bicycle tail lights, etc.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Well, the big RIM lawsuit was over the same sort of thing - a patent filed with a conceptual idea for a communication device, without any actual device to back it up. 

It's stupid really. Another reason to love administrative systems stateside.


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## ecoleshill (Jan 22, 2009)

Give it time..... An Aerospace company will not be interested in running with such a device. Selling tank lighting systems will not fund a rocket launch at approx. $9+million (depending on primary or secondary payload). They will get some money from the lawsuit or buy out PFO. If PFO survives they will license the technology to PFO to sell.

They will be back on the market in no time.


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## quangbui (Apr 12, 2008)

stupid lawsuit
i say lawsuit will get overturned
look at what happen with the ipod patent same situation
but just all those jobs lost.....


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