Garmin legal defeats

Please don't turn this into brand bashing. Just information.

An 18 November final ruling that Garmin was violating Johnson Outdoors' patent on side imaging sonar was followed up this week with a ruling that Garmin was violating Navico patents on down imaging. This second ruling was a reversal of an earlier finding.

Whether this will be resolved through licensing or whether Garmin will be forced to pull products from the market is still up in the air. Garmin says they have redesigned their units to get around the Johnson Outdoors patent and that they plan similar action for the Navico patent.

Federal agency rules Garmin violated Navico patents | Trade Only Today

Johnson Outdoors and Humminbird(R) Receive Favorable ITC Ruling Against Garmin Nasdaq:JOUT


Things that we as fishermen should watch for IMO:

New Garmin products may or may not have the same features or performance as previous products. No way to know until we see them in action.

Firmware/Software updates to existing products MAY remove functionality that was originally part of the unit. There is a history of this happening when a Lowrance update removed the ability for the unit to boot into the same setup it was in when it was shut down after a court case. I'd recommend you not be the first to update your units. let somebody else be the guinea pig.


Mixed feelings for me on this. As an engineer, I want people to be able to profit from their good ideas without having them poached by others. As a fisherman, I like high performance electronics at lower prices that we get from competition.

Just simply from a "Made In the USA" perspective ..... I don't want to see people trampling on the patent rights and getting away with it.

I agree with CatFan. I useta be an engineer myself, but have self downgraded to just a piddler.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

I agree with CatFan. I useta be an engineer myself, but have self downgraded to just a piddler.

---

and still BETTER than a lot of the young ones out there!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobB

Just simply from a "Made In the USA" perspective ..... I don't want to see people trampling on the patent rights and getting away with it.

---

Neither Lowrance or Garmin are USA owned companies. Humminbird is, but their products probably aren't made in the states. Don't feel sorry for any of them. You see them blowing out $2000 units for 1/2 price when new models come out. They still are laughing all the way to the bank.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shellback

Neither Lowrance or Garmin are USA owned companies. Humminbird is, but their products probably aren't made in the states. Don't feel sorry for any of them. You see them blowing out $2000 units for 1/2 price when new models come out. They still are laughing all the way to the bank.

---

All Humminbird units are made in the USA....Not the others.

Edit to clarify ..... made in the USA cannot mean that all components are made in the USA ....I don't think its possible for any electronics company to source all the compenents in the US.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobB

All Humminbird units are made in the USA....Not the others.

Edit to clarify ..... made in the USA cannot mean that all components are made in the USA ....I don't think its possible for any electronics company to source all the compenents in the US.

---

That's good to know. I didn't realize they were made in the states.

Eufaula Alabama is the primary manufacturing location ...... They have some stuff in Minnesota too, but I'm not sure what.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

I agree with CatFan. I useta be an engineer myself, but have self downgraded to just a piddler.

---

Me too but they never let me drive the train.:Rofl

My understanding is Humminbird is owned by Johnson Outdoors. Johnson Outdoors also owns Minn Kota and a few other outfits.

PS

My Ulterra was made in Tiawan.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobB

All Humminbird units are made in the USA....Not the others.

Edit to clarify ..... made in the USA cannot mean that all components are made in the USA ....I don't think its possible for any electronics company to source all the compenents in the US.

---

then it should read "assembled in the us, not made in the us" if it is not "all made" in the us.

very good, interesting information. Thanks.

I didn't say everything JOI owned was made in the US, just the Birds ..... but I would rather see Taiwan than China .... of course one of these days China is going to try to take them back.

Made in the US is a part of the reason I choose to own Humminbirds.....can't say it will always be that way, but it puts a lot of weight in their direction for me.

They employ a LOT of American labor .... and you can actually understand most of what they say when you talk to them on the phone.:Rofl

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ibmack

then it should read "assembled in the us, not made in the us" if it is not "all made" in the us.

---

It is a LOT more than assembled in the US ..... That is a term usually reserved for manufacturers (like some of the automakers) who's major components are designed and made elsewhere then shipped to the US for final assembly .... Humminbird is designed, engineered, and manufactured in the US. It's kind of like a Chevy that is manufactured here except for maybe a few small components.

I'm not trying to push people's buttons that own other brands ..... was just trying to state what I thought was a simple fact .... Maybe PM me or start another thread so we don't hijack this one any worse if there are more questions about Humminbird manufacturing. Too bad Greg has kind of disappeared or he could give more details. There are some YouTube videos of of how things are made at the Eufaula plant if anyone is interested.....They are pretty informative.

If you Google "Humminbird Factory Visit" - you can easily see there's quite a bit to "Made In America".
The PCBs are run thru Juki CNC machines, and the "Globally Sourced" components that come from several suppliers run down the tracks to be soldered up & added to.
I know for a fact at least ONE of the 688 models (same proc. as the 500/700 rumor has it) runs a Samsung CPU under the hood, I didn't ensure it was fabbed in Korea but probably is.
The lower end P-Max series are China or Taiwan built and labeled as such.
The other popular brands seem to have gear built in Taiwan or Mexico.

:biggrin
I'm with Bob on one of the reasons I run what I run .....