Patent rights for infrared held by HomeSafe inspection

[bking (Bruce A. King)]

With a quick look, they do seem to have patent protection on some methods of using IR within a termite inspection process.

If you are not using the camera for termite inspections I would think there is no issue.
Even if you were, as long as your process is different from the ones patented you should have no issue.

There is usually no answer to patent arguments until both sides spend about 40k to 500k
leading to and in court. Then it is decided based on a flip of a coin usually.

[jrivera (Justo Mickey Rivera)]

@sstanczyk

What a wack job.

Sorry, Mob patent

Mic

[gromicko (Nick Gromicko, CMI)]

If patents held, we’d all be driving Fords.

[rmaday (Rick Maday)]

@jrivera

Mic

Will that be cash, check or credit card?

@rmaday

I have a patent pending for “process for using smileys on home inspection message boards”. Simply forward $.10 every time you use one of these :p:roll::mrgreen:

[rhynum (Rick J. Hynum)]

I’m Rick Hynum, communications director for HomeSafe Home Services. Just to clear the air, HomeSafe does not claim to own any patents on IR cameras. Our patents, which are owned in part by the University of Mississippi, cover certain methods that have been proven to be necessary and highly effective in the usage of IR cameras in the residential building inspection and termite detection processes. We also own patents on acoustic (listening) devices and related software which, used in combination with IR scanning, can quickly and non-destructively pinpoint the exact location of a termite infestation.

Peng Lee developed HomeSafe’s patented IR inspection and IR/acoustic inspection procedures as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Physical Acoustics in the 1990s. As the project’s principal investigator, Mr. Lee established a set of protocols for IR usage in home (residential building) inspections and termite detection. Patent applications to protect these procedures were then filed. Mr. Lee and Kevin Seddon began working together in 2000 as subcontractors on an acoustics-related project for the U.S. Department of Defense and later transferred Lee’s intellectual property to a jointly owned company, HomeSafe Inspection, Inc. They have been continuously promoting IR and IR/acoustic inspection procedures by franchising and licensing with HomeSafe-branded partner companies, independent home inspectors and pest control operators across the U.S. as well as in the Philippines and South Africa. After a lengthy and exhaustive review process that lasted many years and cost HomeSafe hundreds of thousands of dollars, the USPTO has approved many of our patent applications. Several additional applications are still under review.

Once the patents were issued, Mr. Lee and Mr. Seddon decided to license the use of these procedures to any home inspector. We firmly believe that most IR home inspectors want to use IR to its fullest capacity and to provide the highest-quality home inspection possible. HomeSafe has developed a license program that is affordable for any home inspector and also offers, but does not require, additional IR and IR/acoustic home inspection training and certification.

It is HomeSafe’s intent to work with industry associations, training organizations and other interested parties to help establish industry-wide standards for IR usage in home inspections and to ensure that all home inspectors utilizing IR are properly trained in the most effective methods. However, we recognize that Flir, Fluke, Raytheon and other manufacturers produce high-quality IR cameras, and we would never dispute anyone’s right to sell these devices nor to provide IR inspection training. In fact, HomeSafe is already working with or in communication with many of these manufacturers.

Having said that, HomeSafe is required to protect its investment in the patents and will therefore seek to stop all unlicensed usage of our patented processes.

If anyone feels that we have made an error in contacting them about IR usage in home inspections, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know.

Rick Hynum
HomeSafe Home Services

[bdoles2 (Brian K. Doles)]

I guess I’ll just have to quit using my IR camera. I’ll be filing for a “bailout” tomorrow.

[jmckenna1 (John McKenna, CMI)]

@rhynum

I’m Rick Hynum, communications director for HomeSafe Home Services. Just to clear the air, HomeSafe does not claim to own any patents on IR cameras. Our patents, which are owned in part by the University of Mississippi, cover certain methods that have been proven to be necessary and highly effective in the usage of IR cameras in the residential building inspection and termite detection processes. We also own patents on acoustic (listening) devices and related software which, used in combination with IR scanning, can quickly and non-destructively pinpoint the exact location of a termite infestation.

Peng Lee developed HomeSafe’s patented IR inspection and IR/acoustic inspection procedures as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Physical Acoustics in the 1990s. As the project’s principal investigator, Mr. Lee established a set of protocols for IR usage in home (residential building) inspections and termite detection. Patent applications to protect these procedures were then filed. Mr. Lee and Kevin Seddon began working together in 2000 as subcontractors on an acoustics-related project for the U.S. Department of Defense and later transferred Lee’s intellectual property to a jointly owned company, HomeSafe Inspection, Inc. They have been continuously promoting IR and IR/acoustic inspection procedures by franchising and licensing with HomeSafe-branded partner companies, independent home inspectors and pest control operators across the U.S. as well as in the Philippines and South Africa. After a lengthy and exhaustive review process that lasted many years and cost HomeSafe hundreds of thousands of dollars, the USPTO has approved many of our patent applications. Several additional applications are still under review.

Once the patents were issued, Mr. Lee and Mr. Seddon decided to license the use of these procedures to any home inspector. We firmly believe that most IR home inspectors want to use IR to its fullest capacity and to provide the highest-quality home inspection possible. HomeSafe has developed a license program that is affordable for any home inspector and also offers, but does not require, additional IR and IR/acoustic home inspection training and certification.

It is HomeSafe’s intent to work with industry associations, training organizations and other interested parties to help establish industry-wide standards for IR usage in home inspections and to ensure that all home inspectors utilizing IR are properly trained in the most effective methods. However, we recognize that Flir, Fluke, Raytheon and other manufacturers produce high-quality IR cameras, and we would never dispute anyone’s right to sell these devices nor to provide IR inspection training. In fact, HomeSafe is already working with or in communication with many of these manufacturers.

Having said that, HomeSafe is required to protect its investment in the patents and will therefore seek to stop all unlicensed usage of our patented processes.

If anyone feels that we have made an error in contacting them about IR usage in home inspections, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know.

Rick Hynum
HomeSafe Home Services

What part of the process do you seek to patent and protect?

1- Turn on IR camera
2- Focus, adjust…
3- Click the picture

[jbraun (James E. Braun, CMI)]

@rhynum

I’m Rick Hynum, communications director for HomeSafe Home Services. Just to clear the air, HomeSafe does not claim to own any patents on IR cameras. Our patents, which are owned in part by the University of Mississippi, cover certain methods that have been proven to be necessary and highly effective in the usage of IR cameras in the residential building inspection and termite detection processes. We also own patents on acoustic (listening) devices and related software which, used in combination with IR scanning, can quickly and non-destructively pinpoint the exact location of a termite infestation.

Peng Lee developed HomeSafe’s patented IR inspection and IR/acoustic inspection procedures as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Physical Acoustics in the 1990s. As the project’s principal investigator, Mr. Lee established a set of protocols for IR usage in home (residential building) inspections and termite detection. Patent applications to protect these procedures were then filed. Mr. Lee and Kevin Seddon began working together in 2000 as subcontractors on an acoustics-related project for the U.S. Department of Defense and later transferred Lee’s intellectual property to a jointly owned company, HomeSafe Inspection, Inc. They have been continuously promoting IR and IR/acoustic inspection procedures by franchising and licensing with HomeSafe-branded partner companies, independent home inspectors and pest control operators across the U.S. as well as in the Philippines and South Africa. After a lengthy and exhaustive review process that lasted many years and cost HomeSafe hundreds of thousands of dollars, the USPTO has approved many of our patent applications. Several additional applications are still under review.

Once the patents were issued, Mr. Lee and Mr. Seddon decided to license the use of these procedures to any home inspector. We firmly believe that most IR home inspectors want to use IR to its fullest capacity and to provide the highest-quality home inspection possible. HomeSafe has developed a license program that is affordable for any home inspector and also offers, but does not require, additional IR and IR/acoustic home inspection training and certification.

It is HomeSafe’s intent to work with industry associations, training organizations and other interested parties to help establish industry-wide standards for IR usage in home inspections and to ensure that all home inspectors utilizing IR are properly trained in the most effective methods. However, we recognize that Flir, Fluke, Raytheon and other manufacturers produce high-quality IR cameras, and we would never dispute anyone’s right to sell these devices nor to provide IR inspection training. In fact, HomeSafe is already working with or in communication with many of these manufacturers.

Having said that, HomeSafe is required to protect its investment in the patents and will therefore seek to stop all unlicensed usage of our patented processes.

If anyone feels that we have made an error in contacting them about IR usage in home inspections, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know.

Rick Hynum
HomeSafe Home Services

Me, I do not even own an IR camera. Your research on me and my company sucks. Feel free to contact me. I hope for your sake your patents are better than your research.

[krichardson (Kevin Richardson)]

It is HomeSafe’s intent to work with industry associations, training organizations and other interested parties to help establish industry-wide standards for IR usage in home inspections and to ensure that all home inspectors utilizing IR are properly trained in the most effective methods. However, we recognize that Flir, Fluke, Raytheon and other manufacturers produce high-quality IR cameras, and we would never dispute anyone’s right to sell these devices nor to provide IR inspection training. In fact, HomeSafe is already working with or in communication with many of these manufacturers.

Having said that, HomeSafe is required to protect its investment in the patents and will therefore seek to stop all unlicensed usage of our patented processes.

There are already Industry wide standards for IR use in residential inspections. Here are the ones that I know of:

1. The Infraspection Institute Standard for Infrared Inspection of Building Envelopes
2. The Infraspection Institute Standard for Infrared Inspections to Detect Pests and Pest Related Damage
3. ASTM C-1060
4. ASTM E-1186
5. ISO 6781

Then there is RESNET that is currently developing an IR Inspection standard. So, why would InterNachi Inspectors want or need your proposed Standards?

What is considered (in your opinion) “all unlicensed usage of our patented processes?”

For the education and benefit of the members here, please explain to us what “processes” you have patents on?

I’m a Level III Certified Thermographer that uses Infrared Thermal Imaging in my company to conduct Residential IR Inspections. That would include, at times, looking for structural defects relating to WDO or WDI activity. Are you trying to imply that Certified Thermographers that use IR technology to detect WDO/WDI activity infringe on your patents? If so, how?

Kevin

[jvogan (Jeff S. Vogan)]

I bet all you jerks are using my patent protected device for the horizontally challenged. It is a series of portable steps that can elevate your entire body to a higher level, and then back down again. So, if any of you are using a ladder on your inspections, you owe me $5.00 for each time you use it. Oh yeah, I also invented the internet.

[jbraun (James E. Braun, CMI)]

Al Gore is that you?

[krichardson (Kevin Richardson)]

Become a HomeSafe Licensee
With the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s recent approval of HomeSafe’s patents on a range of infrared home inspection methods, most home inspectors using infrared will need to become licensed by HomeSafe in order to continue offering IR inspection services. HomeSafe’s patented methods cover a range of activities related to usage of IR in the home inspection process. And it is virtually impossible to perform a successful, accurate IR home inspection without using these methods! For details on HomeSafe’s patents, please click here.

If you are a home inspector, pest control operator, mold inspector or air quality inspector and you use infrared, you are most likely employing HomeSafe’s patented procedures in your inspections, whether you realize it or not. In that case, you must at least pay a monthly licensing fee to HomeSafe or face the possibility of legal action for patent infringement.

It is our goal to make your licensing fee affordable and rewarding. We don’t simply charge you a fee and give you permission to use our proven IR techniques. Every licensee receives specialized and valuable services that cannot be obtained anywhere else. Every licensee also has the option of undergoing HomeSafe’s specialized, comprehensive IR inspection training program and SIRI certification.

The above information is on the HomeSafe website.

I adhere to the standards published by respected organizations like ASTM, NFPA, ISO, and Infraspection Institute. As do 1000’s of property and building Inspectors across the United States. Are you prepared to take legal action against thousand of Home Inspectors who adhere to standards that were published well before 2003?

Wow…I’ve heard it all!!

Kevin

[escanlan (Emmanuel Scanlan, TREC# 7593)]

http://www.homesafeinspection.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=33

Trainees will also learn how to use IR in combination with HomeSafe’s specialized acoustic (listening) sensors to, in effect, “see” and “hear” through walls, floors and ceilings. This infrared/acoustic process uncovers “invisible” problems, particularly with wood-destroying insects, that often cannot be detected by conventional inspection techniques.

Additionally, HomeSafe has received major patents covering and protecting many of its key IR home inspection and IR/acoustic termite detection protocols. This means that anyone using these patented techniques in a home inspection or termite inspection must go through HomeSafe’s training, certification and licensing program to remain in good legal standing.

Apparently the patents must deal with being able to “see” and “hear” through walls. So any of you Inspectors out there that claim you can “see” and “hear” through walls will need to pay their fee.

Nuff said??;-);-)

[sstanczyk (Stephen Stanczyk, WA License #221)]

@jvogan

Oh yeah, I also invented the internet.

Well you may have invented the internet, but I put together my own “series of tubes”. It isn’t a big trunk… it’s a series of tubes…:mrgreen: And I can prove it…

[cpennick (Carl Pennick, HI 065)]

@rhynum

I’m Rick Hynum, communications director for HomeSafe Home Services. Just to clear the air, HomeSafe does not claim to own any patents on IR cameras. Our patents, which are owned in part by the University of Mississippi, cover certain methods that have been proven to be necessary and highly effective in the usage of IR cameras in the residential building inspection and termite detection processes. We also own patents on acoustic (listening) devices and related software which, used in combination with IR scanning, can quickly and non-destructively pinpoint the exact location of a termite infestation.

Peng Lee developed HomeSafe’s patented IR inspection and IR/acoustic inspection procedures as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Physical Acoustics in the 1990s. As the project’s principal investigator, Mr. Lee established a set of protocols for IR usage in home (residential building) inspections and termite detection. Patent applications to protect these procedures were then filed. Mr. Lee and Kevin Seddon began working together in 2000 as subcontractors on an acoustics-related project for the U.S. Department of Defense and later transferred Lee’s intellectual property to a jointly owned company, HomeSafe Inspection, Inc. They have been continuously promoting IR and IR/acoustic inspection procedures by franchising and licensing with HomeSafe-branded partner companies, independent home inspectors and pest control operators across the U.S. as well as in the Philippines and South Africa. After a lengthy and exhaustive review process that lasted many years and cost HomeSafe hundreds of thousands of dollars, the USPTO has approved many of our patent applications. Several additional applications are still under review.

Once the patents were issued, Mr. Lee and Mr. Seddon decided to license the use of these procedures to any home inspector. We firmly believe that most IR home inspectors want to use IR to its fullest capacity and to provide the highest-quality home inspection possible. HomeSafe has developed a license program that is affordable for any home inspector and also offers, but does not require, additional IR and IR/acoustic home inspection training and certification.

It is HomeSafe’s intent to work with industry associations, training organizations and other interested parties to help establish industry-wide standards for IR usage in home inspections and to ensure that all home inspectors utilizing IR are properly trained in the most effective methods. However, we recognize that Flir, Fluke, Raytheon and other manufacturers produce high-quality IR cameras, and we would never dispute anyone’s right to sell these devices nor to provide IR inspection training. In fact, HomeSafe is already working with or in communication with many of these manufacturers.

Having said that, HomeSafe is required to protect its investment in the patents and will therefore seek to stop all unlicensed usage of our patented processes.

If anyone feels that we have made an error in contacting them about IR usage in home inspections, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know.

Rick Hynum
HomeSafe Home Services

:roll: What a jerk

[jbushart (James H. Bushart)]

You have patented a protocol…period. Undoubtedly, you would appreciate it if people adopted it and paid you for it and that is about as likely to happen as me lobbying for a HI licensing bill.

Take a hike.

[jbraun (James E. Braun, CMI)]

[ATTACH]

[/ATTACH]

Attached is the letter I got form Home Safe. I still do not understand how they can demand money from me when I or my company never used an IR camera. I think their greed will get the best of them. If any member of NACHI belongs to Home Safe, they ought to be ashamed of belonging to such of an organization. They may want to examine where their ethics are. If Home Safe is an affiliate member of NACHI, they need to be expelled for violating our COE.

[gromicko (Nick Gromicko, CMI)]

If you don’t ever read their specific, patented processes, it can’t ever be shown that you stole them.

[jbushart (James H. Bushart)]

@jbraun

[ATTACH]

[/ATTACH]

Attached is the letter I got form Home Safe. I still do not understand how they can demand money from me when I or my company never used an IR camera. I think their greed will get the best of them. If any member of NACHI belongs to Home Safe, they ought to be ashamed of belonging to such of an organization. They may want to examine where their ethics are. If Home Safe is an affiliate member of NACHI, they need to be expelled for violating our COE.

Email a formal complaint to Joe F. One less vendor will never hurt…

[dharris]

@jbushart

You have patented a protocol…period. Undoubtedly, you would appreciate it if people adopted it and paid you for it and that is about as likely to happen as me lobbying for a HI licensing bill.

Take a hike.

Busshy… careful what you state, didn’t you state just a couple years ago that you would never join ASHI…:p:p:p