Thinking about making/selling assembled MPGuinos

[Ecodriver]

The MPGuino is compatible with both pre-OBDII and OBDII vehicles. The downside, you need to assemble the MPGuino and wire it to your ECU. On that note actually, I'm thinking about assembling the MPGuinos and selling them already in an enclosure etc. First, is that legal? Secondly, is there an interest or would I have a stockpile of MPGuinos all to myself?

[93Cobra#2771]

I don't know why it wouldn't be legal - no different than all the other gizmos sitting on dashes these days.

And I would be interested.

[Christ]

The only legality issue would be to the holder of intellectual patent/copyright. IF given written permission to build/sell the units, be them for profit or not, there is no legality issue with it. That's IF.

There is no legality issue with copying a patent or copyright in the US FOR ONE'S OWN USE, however, copying with intent to distribute, with or without intent to profit from said copy, is illegal. (That's exactly what I remember, not exactly how it's written.) A copyright is always held by the person who originally designed/built the project, even if not properly filed with the US/foreign patent office.

IOW. If you were to copy something that was in the prototype stage, and release your copy BEFORE the other person made it to market, they could still hit you with copyright infringement, if they could prove that their intellectual property had been stolen. (Dated plans)

Even in the event that someone else built it, from what I understand, you'd still have to wire it to your ECU. If you're not comfortable with messing with your vehicle's electrical system, it might be better to take it to a mechanic or someone that does car alarms, etc. and take them the directions too, so they can put it in for you.

If anyone is interested in building them, RadioShack has project boxes that one could cut a "screen" into, and fill it with that stuff that they make blister packs for toys out of... cellophane?... to protect the unit and make it seem more "OEM" (That IS a consideration for some people.)

[KJSatz]

There's a spinoff of the MPGuino, the OBDuino, that uses the OBD-II port instead of the wires to the ECU. Work in progress.

Do you think the folks to make the MPGuino kit would make one for the OBDuino too when it's in a later revision?

Also, where was "(Thanks MetroMPG for explaining it in more detail to me)" that explanation? I realize it probably had Metro-specific content, but any additional explanation is good explanation!

[Christ]

That's great, if you have OBD-2... problem with that is - that's the reason the MPGuino was developed in the first place, for non-OBD cars, where the SG and SG2 couldn't be used.

My wife's car has an OBD-1 port, but it's not OBD-1, exactly... it's GM's first revision of OBD-2a... so it's "technically" OBD-1, uses OBD-1 codes, but doesn't have the same data retrieval system. This means that I have to waste money at the dealer or getting a special scan tool to find out why my wife's CEL is on. That's not cool.

My Honda, lmao... peel the carpet back, count the blinks.

[hamorhead]

id b interested in buying a preassembled mpguino

[Christ]

Originally Posted by hamorhead

id b interested in buying a preassembled mpguino

Do you realize that you'd still have to tap it into your car's wiring harness? I don't think people are understanding this clearly enough...

Maybe it's just me though.

[orange4boy]

There should be no problem at all if you are buying the kit, assembling it and reselling. You are not copying anything. You are buying wholesale, adding value and reselling.

The copying issue would only be about the software which is open source anyway and since the Guino assembly is the part you are selling which has the software on it already you are not copying anything.

The only thing that might happen is the kit maker might decide to make complete units himself and be in competition.

Donate a couple of bucks from each one and then you will have community goodwill as well.

To avoid a stockpile you could do them on order just wait till you have enough orders.

[Christ]

I would still seek permission from the original developer, personally. It would make me feel better if I had permission, maybe out of respect (my opinion of it).

[orange4boy]

That would be the neighbourly thing to do.