Asetek's Patent for Integrated Pump in AIO Liquid Coolers Expired Today

[TheLostSwede]

As some of you may know, Danish company Asetek has had something of a monopoly in the all-in-one liquid cooling market and this was large due to a single patent that expired today. The patent in question PCT/DK2005/000310 or US8240362 has been used by the company to force many of its competitors either out of business, or cost them a small fortune as they tried to circumvent it. This is why so many companies have licensed AIO liquid cooler designs from Asetek and why there hasn't been a ton of innovation in the market until the past couple of years, when we've finally seen some innovative solutions that work around the patent.

By now, this is a 20 year old patent that was filed by Asetek founder André Sloth Eriksen on this day in 2005. What this means for Asetek at this point in time is unclear, but with the company no longer being able to sue its competitors for producing AIO coolers with the pump integrated into the waterblock, it seems like they no longer have an edge over their competitors. That said, it's unlikely we'll see a dozen new competitors cropping up, as the liquid cooling market is already quite competitive and hardly the most profitable business to be in. With that said, Asetek did mention in their last quarterly report which was released in April, that they've been approached by a company that is interested in taking over their liquid cooling business, so we might see Asetek divesting from liquid cooling in the future.



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[outlw6669]

Sorry Asetek, don't let the door hit you on the way out!

 

[LabRat 891]

Cool! (pun intended)

I still have some of the mounting kit specific to that style of AIO; I wonder if I'll be able to find a replacement AIO now?

 

[TheLostSwede]

Cool! (pun intended)

I still have some of the mounting kit specific to that style of AIO; I wonder if I'll be able to find a replacement AIO now?

There's been a bunch of different variants over the years though, so it most likely won't use with one of their modern coolers.

 

[Franzen4Real]

Sorry Asetek, don't let the door hit you on the way out!

I'm with you on that one, but I will say one thing-- Once Asetek started getting really aggressive in going after other companies trying to enter the AIO space with a similar design, it forced others to innovate and get around the integrated pump patent. From that we got AIO's like the Swiftech that were in a completely different league than the Aseteks. I'm not sure those would have been developed if it weren't for Asetek blocking everyone.

edit for spelling

 

[Arrakis9]

Glad their patent finally expired, what they did back 15+ years ago in the emerging AIO market is what defined the phrase "patent troll" for myself and many other tech enthusiasts. Good riddance.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I'm with you on that one, but I will say one thing-- Once Acetek started getting really aggressive in going after other companies trying to enter the AIO space with a similar design, it forced others to innovate and get around the integrated pump patent. From that we got AIO's like the Swiftech that were in a completely different league than the Aceteks. I'm not sure those would have been developed if it weren't for Acetek blocking everyone.

I have no idea who Acetek is, but they sound like a rip-off of Asetek. Amazing they didn't get sued.

Glad their patent finally expired, what they did back 15+ years ago in the emerging AIO market is what defined the phrase "patent troll" for myself and many other tech enthusiasts. Good riddance.

Except you clearly don't understand the meaning of patent troll then, since it applies to companies that owns patents, but makes nothing and uses the patents to take legal action. Asetek was not a patent troll, as they very clearly produce products based on their patents. What would be the point of applying for a patent if you can't use it to prevent other companies from copying your product?

That said, should this patent have been granted? I'm not so sure it should've, but it was and they made the most out of it. Now that run is over and the company has been doing poorly for a few years already, so the question is if they're going to continue to make consumer grade products or if they'll sell off its business to someone else.

 

[jmeistr]

Finally that silly patent is gone.

 

[Franzen4Real]

I have no idea who Acetek is, but they sound like a rip-off of Asetek. Amazing they didn't get sued.

lmao thank you

 

[TheLostSwede]

lmao thank you

I believe they took their name from the Æsir, or Aser in Danish, Asar in Swedish.

 

[Octavean]

OK, sounds good to me but in practical terms does this mean AIO's will be even cheaper or some other benefit to the end user?

 

[Imsochobo]

OK, sounds good to me but in practical terms does this mean AIO's will be even cheaper or some other benefit to the end user?

marginally maybe, but with the likes of arctic you won't really get much better\cheaper, maybe better packaging from some vendors, marginal performance and so on over the next half decade or so.

it's mostly sorted already anyways

 

[Wirko]

I believe they took their name from the Æsir, or Aser in Danish, Asar in Swedish.

And then retro-matched it to the man you mentioned above, André Sloth Eriksen?

 

[bonehead123]

#DieAsetekDie,LikeYesterday#

 

[Chaitanya]

Sorry Asetek, don't let the door hit you on the way out!

That door has already hit them hard on their rearside with advent of better quality options from competitions.

 

[LabRat 891]

That door has already hit them hard on their rearside with advent of better quality options from competitions.

Speaking of... Someone really needs to review all of Thermalright's *many* AIO options.
The market may be better than back then, but it's oversaturated.

 

[Chaitanya]

Speaking of... Someone really needs to review all of Thermalright's *many* AIO options.
The market may be better than back then, but it's oversaturated.

Which why we keep seeing a lot of useless "features" being slapped on top and asking prices skyrocket. unlike some real inovations we saw in form of pressure release valves(Deepcool), VRM fans(if I remember correctly it was Cryorig who did it first), refillable and exapandable(EK and Alphacool tried but failed) or optional hardware to convert CPU AIO into GPU AIO.

 

[Chomiq]

OK, sounds good to me but in practical terms does this mean AIO's will be even cheaper or some other benefit to the end user?

Basically opens additional design options for OEMs, because before yesterday anything with pump on block design would be an easy target for lawsuit from Asetek for patent infringement.

 

[Kohl Baas]

It's so ironic to see people spitting bile onto a relatively small Danish sompany protecting it's innovation from companies 10 times their size. Meanwhile all cheering the megacorporation of Apple bashing their competition with patendet curves, swipes and metallic edges, all of which stolen from smaller competitors...

 

[blinnbanir]

Which why we keep seeing a lot of useless "features" being slapped on top and asking prices skyrocket. unlike some real inovations we saw in form of pressure release valves(Deepcool), VRM fans(if I remember correctly it was Cryorig who did it first), refillable and exapandable(EK and Alphacool tried but failed) or optional hardware to convert CPU AIO into GPU AIO.

Explain how Alphacool failed. They are on a new Generation of Eisbaer AIOs? Is it because there are no review samples sent?

 

[Chaitanya]

Explain how Alphacool failed. They are on a new Generation of Eisbaer AIOs? Is it because there are no review samples sent?

I am not talking about Alphacool as a firm but the concept they and EK tried to sell it just isnt as popular. I think Swifttech has folded and their AIO with DDC pump was something that should have sold well but didnt.

 

[TheLostSwede]

And then retro-matched it to the man you mentioned above, André Sloth Eriksen?

Well, I didn't even think about that one.

 

[Rover4444]

It's so ironic to see people spitting bile onto a relatively small Danish sompany protecting it's innovation from companies 10 times their size. Meanwhile all cheering the megacorporation of Apple bashing their competition with patendet curves, swipes and metallic edges, all of which stolen from smaller competitors...

And I'd do it again! Patents and copyright shouldn't exist.

 

[Kohl Baas]

And I'd do it again! Patents and copyright shouldn't exist.

Why would anyone innovate then?

 

[80-watt Hamster]

And I'd do it again! Patents and copyright shouldn't exist.

Thats... a take. Patents and copyright were created to reward innovation, not stifle it. The systems built around them are absolutely imperfect and exploitable, but what system isn't?