Toyota sued over Prius transmission patent

dsmnick · 09-21-2005, 10:56 PM

Toyota sued over Prius transmission patent
Solomon Technologies claims the automaker infringes on Electric Wheel plan in 2 models.

By Sophia Pearson/Bloomberg News

Toyota Motor Corp. infringes on a patent in the transmission it uses in its Prius model, a lawsuit filed by a maker of electric motors claims.

Solomon Technologies Inc. accuses Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker, of infringing on its Electric Wheel patent in the Prius and Highlander models. The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Tampa, Fla., is asking a judge to bar Toyota from further infringement and seeks unspecified damages, according to a statement distributed by Business Wire.

"While we are aware of the difficulties faced by a small company seeking to protect its patent rights against a large company like Toyota, we are determined to use every effort to realize for our shareholders the benefits from our patented technology," Solomon President Peter DeVecchis said in the statement.

DeVecchis didn't immediately return a phone call seeking further comment. Solomon Technologies examined an existing Toyota Prius transmission against its patent claims before filing suit, the statement said. The company, based in Tarpon Springs, Fla., develops and sells electric drive motors for the marine industry.

Toyota said it may sell as many as 250,000 hybrid cars this year, mainly the Prius model. In 2006 it plans to produce as many as 400,000 hybrids, while trying to lower costs, President Katsuaki Watanabe said Monday in New York. Sales may rise to 1 million in 2010.

Shares of Solomon Technologies rose 1 cent to 36 cents Monday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. Toyota's American depositary receipts rose 21 cents to $85.36 in New York Stock Exchange trading.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...C06-313165.htm

84Cressida · 09-22-2005, 12:10 AM

This guy is a fool. I hate these types of lawsuits that claim a corporation "stole" their idea. Toyota will kill him like a bug.

dsmnick · 09-22-2005, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84Cressida

This guy is a fool. I hate these types of lawsuits that claim a corporation "stole" their idea. Toyota will kill him like a bug.

You are a blind fool. You seem to know nothing about patents or infringement. Your last sentence highlights your ignorance even more.

84Cressida · 09-22-2005, 12:21 AM

It's true. This is just like those scum bag lawyers who say "if you've taken Vioxx call me, and I'll get you the money you deserve".

dsmnick · 09-22-2005, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84Cressida

It's true. This is just like those scum bag lawyers who say "if you've taken Vioxx call me, and I'll get you the money you deserve".

Buddy, there's a huge difference between Vioxx and hybrid technology patents.

84Cressida · 09-22-2005, 12:39 AM

I was using the Vioxx incident as an example of what scum bag lawyers use to sue big corporations.

Deuce · 09-22-2005, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84Cressida

It's true. This is just like those scum bag lawyers who say "if you've taken Vioxx call me, and I'll get you the money you deserve".

1) God gave you a mouth to speak out of. He also gave you the ability to close it. Think about that one.

2) God gave you the ability to learn. Pay attention, I'm gonna teach you something.

Copyright infringement is a serious accusation and violation because people spend time and effort and money to create things, and if anyone can take it as will, it affects countless people's livelihoods, and nothing is sacred any longer. Hence why the record labels are suing individuals for downloading songs, movies and other copyrighted material from free file-sharing services. You take without giving proper credit and that's theft. Hence why when you write a term paper and you quote someone else's writings, you must cite (or give a reference to) that person and his/her work.

Why is the lawyer telling people to call him if they took Vioxx?

1) he has to feed his family and keep his lights on and his Toyota/Lexus/GM or whatever he drives gassed up.

2) Merck & Co., the makers of Vioxx were selling a drug that had a high incidence of causing the heart attacks people were taking it to prevent. Merck knew about it years ago, but didn't do anything. People have lost their lives, or have had internal injuries that could've been avoided if Merck issued a warning and/or recalled the meds. But they didn't. They tried to cover it up until all the dominos started to fall. They deserve to be sued by patients in civil court. Merck also deserves a criminal conviction as well.

You can't compare copyright infringement with a defect cover-up. they're two different beasts.

drunken_panda · 09-22-2005, 02:17 PM

You would think that the patent laywers for Toyota would've been able to do it properly. This is the seoncd one in the past month or so. Seems like other companies are just trying to jump on the success of Toyota with an out of court settlement.

rolla-XRS · 09-22-2005, 06:08 PM

LOL! Regardless of who's at fault here, Toyota will delay this case until some much later date...and then just close the matter by writing a check from petty cash.

Anyone can file a lawsuit. Getting it before a judge with sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial is a much bigger deal. So let the games begin!!

I wouldn't hold your breath on this one.

xpeed · 09-23-2005, 11:27 AM

Well, the funny thing is, haven't Toyota developed this transmission way back in early 2000s? So why is this company sueing them now? I know it may take some while, but 1.5 years after it was introduced? Not to mention they been developing the Prius since 1993.

Before anyone criticize my reply, I said developed not produce the Prius since 1993. Two different words and meaning.

situman · 09-25-2005, 12:00 PM

Not sure if its allowed, but couldn't Toyota just acquire the company for change they found in their corporate sofas? Patent problem solved. Heck, if they are truely able to develop such high tech trannies, Toyota might have a true assets in their hands if they do acquire it.

HoboJoe · 09-25-2005, 02:54 PM

The tranny in the Prius is one of those continuously variable transmissions isn't it?

Bakemono · 09-25-2005, 05:14 PM

Sure is, HoboJoe.
Cap'n

keylogger · 09-26-2005, 02:53 AM

May somebody in the company finaly bought a Prius and disassembled the tranny? and that guy in the company said, "Hey wait a minute, this looks like our model, but that model was for boats!!!" who knows, the fact is some one is suing toyota.
and by the way i am wondering how people who file patent lawsuits claim noticed that their pattent is being infringed on. all i know is this small conpany is going to get

or maybe bought out by toyota. Muahaha, floatable Camry's anyone?

09-29-2005, 02:34 PM

You are missing several very important facts:

1) Solomon received there patent in 1991, well before Toyota began developing the Prius.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2 Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN %2F5067932

2) It doesn't matter if Toyota deliberately stole the technology, or if they developed it independently on their own. It is Toyota's responsibility to ensure they are not illegally using already patented technology.

3) Solomon may only have a market cap of $2.5MM, and trade as SOLM.OB. I would suspect however that the majority ownership of the company is not publicly held, hence Toyota could simply buy-up all available share and do a hostile take-over. Solomon would have to want to be bought out and if you knew the history of the company you'd understand why this is highly unlikely. They are more than a little idealistic about the potential of their product to revolutionize propulsion in all applications and change the world away from fuel burning motors. I'm fairly certain they have refused previous buy out attempts and I know they've rejected previously exclusive licensing offers. But who knows, since the original founder and inventor (Dave Tether) left the company a few months ago maybe things have changed.

4) Solomon has always had in their business plan using the Electric wheel (Us Pat 5067932) for automotive uses, hence they have always expected to make billions of it. Regardless they won't be bought out for their current market cap. They will probably hold Toyota over a barrel and get them to settle for a huge sum, plus royalties from now until eternity.