Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

What is everyone's opinion about Tesla providing their open source information to increase the reality of electric and free energy cars, items, devices, etc?

I found this article about a week or so ago. I think this is a great way to keep the power with the majority of people instead of hid or destory it like they did with Nikola Telsa:

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/all-our-patent-are-belong-you

What do you think?

Do you think these patents could help us to increase in making solar electric cars even more possible and sooner?

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

    There's no such thing as "free" energy; it all comes with a cost.

    On the other hand Tesla Motor's release of patents will make it easier for other companies to make use of the technology and perhaps create an electric car that is somewhat more practical and affordable than the Model S.

    Not everything Nikola Tesla dreamed up was possible, btw.
  • pleppik
    pleppik Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

    IMHO and IANAL--It's a great PR stunt. Only time will tell if it's anything more.

    Here's the thing: Tesla hasn't done anything which would prevent it from asserting its patents in the future. All it did was make a public announcement that it wouldn't.

    If you're going into business against Tesla, your lawyers are probably going to advise you to get something more binding from Tesla (like a license) before taking the risk of using those patents. As things stand today there's no guarantee that Tesla won't change its mind in the future, or that the patents won't be sold to someone else who isn't so public-spirited. Then that business you built around the Tesla patents is toast.

    And even if you trust Tesla and Elon Musk to stay true to their word, keep in mind that companies can change ownership and management, and sometimes they go bankrupt and the patents are sold to the highest bidder.
  • DanS26
    DanS26 Solar Expert Posts: 269 ✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

    I think it is more than just a PR stunt. It may be that the Tesla engineers and suppliers have come up against a technological brick wall with battery development and electrical storage. By opening up the patents they are hoping someone else can find the breakthrough everyone is looking for. It is a method of bringing more brain power to the problem at hand, but it has its risk....ie being shut out by a rival company using your patents as a stepping stone but not sharing in the end.
    23.16kW Kyocera panels; 2 Fronius 7.5kW inverters; Nyle hot water; Steffes ETS; Great Lakes RO; Generac 10kW w/ATS, TED Pro System monitoring
  • nsaspook
    nsaspook Solar Expert Posts: 396 ✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

    Most of the battery related patents I've seen from Tesla have been on battery management systems.
    Some are useful for Solar energy too but most seem fairly obvious.
    http://www.google.com/patents/US20120098501
  • PNjunction
    PNjunction Solar Expert Posts: 762 ✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents

    What he's trying to do is create an industry of true competetion, not just a pool of patent-trolls stifling progress. He knows history. Read the first paragraph under the "History" section:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source

    Frankly, I'm amazed and glad they took this stance, especially after reading the full text of that blog-article link.
  • pleppik
    pleppik Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Tesla Open Source- Reveals Patents
    DanS26 wrote: »
    I think it is more than just a PR stunt.

    I hope you are right, and I believe this is what Tesla intends.

    All I'm saying is that until Tesla actually licenses the patents to someone else at no cost, the statement that they intend to abandon the patents is legally meaningless, and won't prevent different management from deciding to enforce the patents in the future.