Humminbird files Suit Against Lowrance

[fishfordollars]

Well it finally happened. Johnson Outdoors(Humminbird) filed suit against Navico (Lowrance) for patent infringement today in federal court. Louis Chemi the COO of Navico said that the structure scan will still be sold. Going to be fun to watch this unfold.

Jack

[bmadd]

I saw where Humminbird was given the patent. It will be real interesting to see how ugly this one gets.

[mudkart]

It's US patent 7,652,952.  Claims 1 and 8 offer Humminbird relatively broad coverage on the SI system, which is true for most patents that are truly innovative (the inventors are given a rather broad scope of patent coverage). 

I'm not that familiar w/ the details of the Lowrance system, but unless their SI transducers are well outside the dimensions found in the Humminbird patent claims, it appears to be an uphill battle for Lowrance. 

Another option for Lowrance would be to argue the Humminbird patent is invalid, not enabled for the full scope, etc.

[Hot Rod]

I understand how patents work but it seems pretty asinine to me.

Wasn't lowrance the first company to invent depthsounders and then graphs/LCD's for the fishing industry mainstream?  Seems to me its sort of the pot calling the kettle black, to use a cliche.  I mean if it weren't for the original Lowrance would there have even been a Hummingbird?  JM.02

[Dogface]

Lowrance has the down scan feature. Hummingbird does not. I wonder how that will figure into equation.

[Tpayneful]

Humminbird added downscan in a software upgrade this month.

As an Electrical Engineer I was taught that patents for electronics were hard to litigate. Someone can copy your design change a small aspect and the patent can't be enforced because they are technically different. I don't have enought time or desire to research and figure out if HB has a winnable case ;D

I believe Lowrance invented the depth finder in 1956. If they were given a patent it would be good for 20 years. It would have long since expired.

[Dogface]

Humminbird added downscan in a software upgrade this month.

I did not know that. Can it be installed on all of the side scan units?

[Kenny418]

Humminbird added downscan in a software upgrade this month.

I did not know that. Can it be installed on all of the side scan units?

Yes it can. Go to Humminbird.com and download the update for your unit

[TommyBass]

Humminbird added downscan in a software upgrade this month.

I thought it was pretty ironic how Lowrance did a 1 up on Humminbird with the down scan technology and then Humminbird brings it out like "O ya, I guess we could do that too".... and then Humminbird files suit against Lowrance??   Looks like Lowrance could possibly do a counter suit on that technology if they patented it.

[fishfordollars]

Gonna be a fist fight for sure.

[Wayne P.]

Dogface, I took this combo screen shot yesterday with the HB Down Imaging:

[NewAngler]

Wayne, that is ridiculous, what model is that?

[MtCarmelTriton20x]

Humminbird added downscan in a software upgrade this month.

I thought it was pretty ironic how Lowrance did a 1 up on Humminbird with the down scan technology and then Humminbird brings it out like "O ya, I guess we could do that too".... and then Humminbird files suit against Lowrance?? Looks like Lowrance could possibly do a counter suit on that technology if they patented it.

The ironic thing is Lowrance tried to copy the technology because they were losing some of their customers. They did try to one up them by giving the DI with the structure scan, which by the way is sold seperately from the depth finder as an option, and saying how truely unique this system was when H-bird had it out for several years prior. So they add DI at no cost to everyone who had SI units for FREE. You would never catch Lowrance giving anything for free and their service stinks. I switched out my LCX-113 and LCX-28 for a 1197c SI and a 798c si. I will say I could not be happier. I did have an issue with my 1197 wich was my fault by the way and had to send it in for repair. I called and they told me to send it in and told me it would be a quick fix. I expected the usual of they tell you a week and it takes a month. This was not the case with H-bird. I mailed it on Monday and had it back on my doorstep by Friday. I would rate this as excellent customer service.

[mudkart]

Wayne that pic is eerily similar to images of standing timber we found using the lowrance structure scan on the occoquan rez.  Around the same depth too, 'tho sometimes deeper.

[Wayne P.]

NewAngler, I have the 798ci SI

mudkart, that image was done at Briery Creek Lake.

[Hot Rod]

You would never catch Lowrance giving anything for free and their service stinks.

How about it?  I sent a unit in to Navico for repairs back in November and am still waiting for the replacement unit; which I had to pay $200 for cause it was a couple months past warranty.  Incedentally it was the second time I had an issue with part of this set-up.  the GPS puck went bad the 1st time but under warranty.

The fact that Lowrance service is so bad is enough to make me switch to another brand not to mention the cost difference.  >

[Dogface]

Dogface, I took this combo screen shot yesterday with the HB Down Imaging:

Thanks Wayne.

I liked the downscan feature of the Lowrance but it was too expensive. Now that HB has the same feature and its a free upgrade it would be a better deal.

[Tpayneful]

My buddy bought a new Skeeter last spring and it came with a Lowrance at the bow and an Eagle at the console.  We fished the Potomac in the rain.  Both units failed due to water leakage.  He had to send both units back.  Turns out a lot of people are having the same problems.

He can bearly catch fish on my boat because he is constantly looking at the 798c SI on the console!

It is nice that Humminbird continues to offer support and upgrades to their products.  I am really happy with my units.

[fishingfourfun]

I am thinking about buying the 798.  Was the unit hard to learn?  My Lowrances are used for depth and temp only.  The side imaging looks awesome.  Is yours set up at the helm or trolling motor?

[Tpayneful]

I have mine mounted on the console.  I have a two transducers, the original round puck that was epoxied into place by Stratos and the Side Imaging transducer on the transom.  I have a Humminbird transducer switch to change between Side Imaging at slow speeds 0-5MPH and the regular puck when I am moving from place to place.

Anyone can learn how to use Side Imaging in a few minutes.  Of course I sat down with a pot of coffee and read the owners manual but it really isn't needed to get started.

Just select the SI view, move in a straight line at some speed less than 5MPH and the bottom will scroll on the screen.  You can press the arrow pad at anytime and it will stop the screen from scrolling.  You can move your pointer to any location on the stopped screen and mark waypoints, zoom in on objects and save pictures of what you found.

I bought my boat on October 23rd and only went out a few times before it got too cold.  I have not been back out since November.  The only SI settings that I change is the distance to scan out from the boat.  It normally does 150 feet on each side but I will shrink it down to 50 - 80 feet so the objects are bigger.  Sometimes I will scan only to the right or only to the left to cover the whole screen with an area of interest. 

I found these blugill beds on my first trip and brushpiles in a channel on my second trip with the unit.

[Wayne P.]

fishingfourfun, I have my 798ci SI set up for console and bow. I bought the trolling motor SI transducer, another mount and power cord so I could use it in both places since I fish several electric-only bodies of water also.

I would recommend when/if you get one, order an extra power cord so you can practice with it in Simulator mode without having to be in your boat. I still use mine that way and even did the DI software upgrade with it laying in my lap.

[fishingfourfun]

Thanks for the advice.  I have two boats that I use.  I will purchase and extra power cord and tranducer to use on the other boat.I fish the Occoquan Reservoir and the Potomac.  That set-uplooks like it will help me find more productive water!

[I Love BassResource]

I bought the HDS units after much comparison. Here is a pretty good side by side look at the two technologies

http://b b c b o a r d s . z e r o f o r u m . c o m /zerothread/483630-downscan-vs-downimaging-by-fishton

Just remove the spaces in the body of the url.

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

I think this will be a pretty messy suit. Patent infringement is not something I would ever want to deal with . They could lose millions.

[Tpayneful]

Based on the serious leakage issues and terrible customer service, I wouldn't even concider Lowrance.

I have seen the side by side comparison and am not convinced that the settings are set equally.