I have been wondering about this lately, I posted it in OD forums but looks like is pretty slow over there.
(Im assuming One Drop have 100% exclusivity in all kind of uses of the side effects patent, and my opinion is based on this assumption, I might be wrong)
I was thinking about side effects… I think it would benefit One Drop to allow other companies to free use the Side effects design compatibility (only compatibility). That is, making the yoyos side effects compatible, (NOT making the side effects of course, OD will retain the exclusivity to make the side effects).
This way is a win-win situation, the other company will benefit to have the plus to offer a product that can have an array of interchangeable side effects to customize the yoyo, OD will sell side effects to that company to be used in their products, also, people will be more encouraged to buy OD yoyos if they already have some extra side effects from their other throws. OD will be able to offer more side effects designs and it will ultimately extend their market.
I think the benefits of free opening the compatibility hugely surpass the benefits of exclusivity.
You explained the way it currently is. Any company can use the design of side effects, they just have to buy the side effects directly from OD. They welcome other companies to use the design, and I’m sure they’ll even work with companies to create custom side effects, they just need to buy them from OD.
@vegabomb: “There is no patent on one drop side effects.” My assumption on the patent is that in the OD website, in their forums, there is a sticky thread made by the devs called “Side Effects ™” http://onedropyoyos.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5488 so, I assumed the “™” stands for Trade Mark, but as I said, I can only assume.
@FT: “You explained the way it currently is. Any company can use the design of side effects, they just have to buy the side effects directly from OD. They welcome other companies to use the design, and I’m sure they’ll even work with companies to create custom side effects, they just need to buy them from OD.” That is good to know, are you 100% positive on this? if it is is a great thing.
This is already happening. Antiyo, eternal throw, yoyocommunity, and a few others have done yoyos with side effects. They basically allow them to use the side effects but they buy the Sode effects from one drop.
Basically what you have to do in order to use side effects (this is what i have been told by those who have done it) is send the design to one drop and get approval from them to use the side effects system in the yoyo (which you have to buy through them anyways).
Yep, no patent on SideEffects. Any company is free to use the design. We do ask though that we can see the design first(under NDA if you like), and that any company going ahead with a SideEffect enabled throw buy the SideEffects from us so that we can have a hand in the quality control.