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".