James,

I read most of the patent application (I didn't bother with most of the
prior art, after reading the first and getting info on how to kill mites
using chemicals dissolved in acetone and a second that explained how to
collect bee venom using electricity -- looks like he cited anything that
mentioned bees, mites and probably hives, whether relevant or not).

It seems that the author was claiming that his design allowed a full screen
with no edging to block mites at the edges as an innovation of his design
(yes, he claimed quite a bit and had a very elaborate, bulky setup that I
doubt anyone would really want to use).  So, if you market a SBB with that
feature (most do not), that could possibly be an infringement.

He also claims that being able to monitor mites from the rear is an
innovation (clearly not, this has been commercially available from before
his application) and some elaborate internal design that prevents mites from
climbing back up on the bees (which I really could not decipher from the
application).

But, as reading the citations will clearly demonstrate, you can patent just
about anything (I'll have to track down a commercially available magnetic
varroa remover -- surely that one has caught on -- or a bee hive heater to
kill the mites).  And has clearly happened in the computing industry, many
patents have been issued for public domain information that is much older
than the patent application (after all, you are responsible for declaring
all prior art and that is all that is checked by the patent clerks, esp. in
more obscure or technical fields), resulting in absurdities such as patents
for methods of sorting in  computer programs that had been taught to
students for many years. And such patents will stand until someone
undertakes the expense of protesting (basically a trial process and
expensive).  That is one reason that those holding patents in the computer
field only attempt to extort royalties from small companies, where it is
cheaper to pay than to fight the patent.  On the other hand, I doubt those
that have patented bee equipment are living the life of luxury (admit it,
have you paid a royalty to the gentleman that patented using a grid on the
sticky board to detect mites?).

> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Fischer
> All that was patented was a screened bottom board with SPECIFIC
> FEATURES.  Those specific features, as applied to a screened
> bottom board are really all that was "patented".