As most of you know, Scanmar invented the cable free Catch Control system almost 40 years ago, and from a simple system with few sensors, “Pingers”, the systems now consist of a wide range of sensors, and not least very advanced sensors as Trawl Eye, Trawlspeed and Symmetry sensors etc.

When competitors ten years later started to enter the market, it was generally no new development, and many of the products introduced, failed due to lack of technology and simple solutions that did not met fishermen’s expectations.

Scanmar has, ever since the start, put lots of efforts and money into development of new technology, new products and new functions. With the standing Scanmar has today, both regard to advanced technology, and not at least amongst fishing companies and Fishery Research Institutes around the world, and the many ideas Scanmar has for new products, new functions and technological solutions, our aim is to provide the fleet with new products that will further increase profit and reduce costs. The new solutions will be integrated with the existing Scanmar system, and therefore the quality of the products, in every way, including operation and signal processing, has to be at the highest level.

 Awarded patents are part of that.

GENERAL EXPLANATION

A patent is a protection of a technical innovation. The patent prevents others from making commercial use of an invention without the patent holder's permission. In return, the patent/patent application is made available to the public 18 months after filing, so that others can familiarize themselves with the technique. A patent has 20 years of life from the input date if the annuities are paid.

A traditional way to describe an invention is that it is a practical solution to a problem, where the solution is of a technical character, has a technical effect and is reproducible. There are three main criteria which have to be fulfilled in order to be awarded patent; the invention has to be new, it must have an inventive step and it must be industrially applicable.

A patent documents the ownership of an invention and prevents others from exploiting it. It provides a time-limited monopoly that can be a crucial advantage in a competitive market. It provides a good starting point to fund development costs and to enter into sales and license agreements. A patent is a national all rights reserved, and you must therefore have a patent in each country where you want protection

The normal procedure for the patent application process is quite extensive, and consequently quite expensive. The steps are as follows:

1. The inventor contacts an Intellectual Property law firm.
2. The IP law firm makes preliminary investigations in order to determine if the idea is patentable or adjustments to the proposed invention has to be made.
3. Application for patent will be sent to the national Patent board.
4. The Patent board makes their investigations.
5. Comments are given to the IP law firm.
6. The IP law firm has to reply, eventually make some changes in cooperation with the inventor.
7. Patent is awarded or declined.

This process normally takes two years and upwards, quite often much longer time.

Then similar processes have to be made in all countries where the inventor wants to have patent protection.

WHY ARE PATENTS IMPORTANT TO SCANMAR?

When we started Scanmar, we had discussions whether we should apply for patents for some parts of the new invention of cable free Catch Control System, especially the hydrophones and the receiving unit on the vessel, and the molding process of the sensors which gives an unique protection of the electronics and thereby less technical problems, but we decided against it because in these cases, in order to receive approval, we would have to give away very much detailed information, which would permit possible competitors to get around the critical parts of the patents without breaking them.

It has proven to be a correct decision, since even today, almost 40 years later; nobody has been able to manufacture products with the same quality standards.

Since Scanmar’s competitor mainly have been copying Scanmar’s products as well as they can, there are several reasons why patents are important to Scanmar:

1. Since the start Scanmar has spent about USD 60 mill. financing the company’s R&D activities. Competitors have used Scanmar’s ideas for their own product even if they have not been able to copy the most advanced technologies. We like to underline that this is not illegal as the ideas have not been patented, but it has obviously been a great unpaid advantage. Very much money will be spent to develop new products and functions, and since the new developments will be closely integrated with existing Scanmar systems, it is important for us to protect our investments.
2. Some companies have had as their business to sell sensors to ship owners who have installed Scanmar systems on their vessels. The sensors have been cheaper due to a lower quality level and lack of investments in R&D. This is not only lost business to Scanmar, but when technical problems occur; it harms the whole system and does not give the achievements it should.
3. We have experienced, not only a few times, that when we launch new products or functions, competitor claims to have the same, at least under development, while the fact is that they never come to the market, or with functional defects that make them more or less useless. The most obvious examples are Trawlspeed sensors, and the recent multifunctional sensors, where the latter generally lack battery capacity and charging facilities which makes it possible to utilize all functions due to operating time. Due to the lengths of the hauls, even double set of sensors are often not enough.

WHY ARE SCANMAR PATENTS IMPORTANT TO FISHERMEN?

A big portion of the ship owners buying new Scanmar systems, have been customers for generations. No joke; we know skippers/owners, who now are third generation Scanmar users, and more interesting may be, they now install Scanmar systems on their third or fourth vessel. It is quite fantastic, and to us in Scanmar encouraging, how the relations with these family businesses have developed, based on high quality products that have helped generate income, year after year. Even smaller vessels with small systems have experienced how an investment, substantial at the time, pays off, year after year, due to more efficient operation and practically no operating cost for the system.

Large fishing companies, of course, are a bit different; several vessels, exchange of crew and skippers, change in management etc., requires a bit different way of thinking. Even if the management is having a wide experience in the fishing industry, they are, as their position tells, management, and have limited knowledge of the fishing operations on board a modern trawler. They are not to blame; first of all they are more than busy enough with their management tasks, and second, where can they, and others, learn about what is going on down there in the sea; fish behavior, underwater currents, gear position, etc., etc. And the situation is different form vessel to vessel, specie to specie, fishing area to fishing area, season to season and day to day. No school exists where you can be taught this.

I would say; we in Scanmar know everything about this: When we started, there was no one to ask, but spending time at sea, watching the information from the various sensors in the Scanmar systems, in various fisheries and under different conditions, together with numbers of surveys with Fishery Research vessels, where each haul was thoroughly recorded, conditions registered, and quite often ROVs and cameras used for visual registrations, we acquired a good understanding, and by making small adjustment to our equipment and the fishing gear, we learned a lot.

Today, a huge amount of the world’s deep sea trawlers and Fishery Research vessels have installed Scanmar systems, and ten thousands of fishermen know how to use it. This makes it a good time for us to really increase R&D activity and bring to the market new products that immediately will be an advantage to the fishing industry.

Most vessel owners, skippers and crew on deep sea trawlers today are acquainted with Scanmar Catch systems, whether they have used it or not. Many are also aware of the advantages of the new generation SS4 Multifunctional sensors with largely increased battery capacity and new charging technology which will make replacement of older sensors advantageous in several respects.

SO, WHY ARE SCANMAR PATENTS IMPORTANT TO THE FISHERMEN?

1. Based on what has been written above, and what has been earlier announced from Scanmar, it is obvious that Scanmar’s activities in R&D will be increased and new products functions brought to the market.To really develop sensors, functions and bridge presentations as parts of a cable free Catch system is quite a challenge and time consuming: After deciding the wanted specifications; design, mechanics and electronics, which all are limited by use, fishing conditions and handling, years of experience and proven technology from wat we earlier have developed, combined with information we have received from fishermen, or observed ourselves, forms the framework, the product development may commence. In this period a lot of testing has to be made on different vessels under different conditions all over the world. During this period the risk is big that information may be leaked to competition with results as described above. Having the idea patented will therefor mean that leaked information cannot be used by competition, and we in Scanmar can be more open about our plans, and the skippers/experts in the fishing companies will have an open dialogue and thus inform us about their wishes and requirements, which in turn will be built into the new products.
2. Most of the new developments that will come from Scanmar during the forthcoming years are either a part of, or will build on the products Scanmar supplies today or the new SS4 Multifunctional sensors, and will therefor become less expensive than products that have to be developed from scratch. Announcing patents, rather than waiting for the products to be launched, will therefor help the fishing companies assess their needs and do long term planning.
3. Scanmar’s new generation of SS4 Multifunctional sensors will really introduce a big change in all aspects of Catch systems; technology, simplicity, operation, information, service, relations between Scanmar and customers etc. By early informing the vessel owners, skippers and technical personnel about the new sensors and functions, due to patent protection, Scanmar is able to sit down with interested customers to discuss a closer cooperation, resulting in better service and reduced costs, in line with what has already proven profitable to some customers.
4. Last, but not least; by informing the customer early about our patents, they will know what products/functions we plan to develop, and they may ask our competitors if they have plans to develop similar products and how they want to solve the technical aspects without coming into beach with our patents. Our competitors are well acquainted with our approved patents; they are public in the countries where they have been applied for, and we know from various sources that they are known to our competitors, which always look to Scanmar for what we are doing. There are many ways to solve the technical challenges. In Scanmar we have chosen to find solutions which give us the cheapest possible way to develop new products which meet our standard requirements, and at the same time comply with the range of products already developed. Therefore there will be no problem for our competitors to develop alternative products if they so wish, and are willing to spend the money.

In case you want to have all details on one or more of our patents, you are very welcome. You may either look into patent registers, preferably in Norway since that is the country when production will take place (look for inventor: Henning Skjold-Larsen), or you may contact us.