[EricH]

Originally Posted by Imadapocalypse

wait so do these patents mean that there will be no other robotics competitions other than FIRST? meaning other organizations like vex may be disbanded?

No. Remember, FIRST has the option to "forget" to enforce any patent they hold. Also, this was filed BEFORE FVC, and therefore VRC (which was a continuation of the direction FVC was going when it was changed into FTC) could be a violation of the patent. However, if FIRST decides to go after VRC, they will probably get every single participant in VRC and half of the FRC community (the other half either not caring or in VRC) angry, and lose many students and mentors because of the loss of face.

Also, remember that the patent protection, for practical purposes, doesn't apply if money isn't being made. Why? Well, who'd be stupid enough to sue for patent violation when there isn't any money to be made off of it? If VRC itself isn't making money, then there is no point. If they are, then there may be, but then it's bye-bye to Victors and Spikes being provided--and until there's another way to control the compressor, that's a bad idea.