Multi color FDM printing patented by Autodesk, stolen from richrap?

Hey guys!
I just got a notification that this patent was granted :
Systems and methods for improved 3D printing

If you read the claims, page 68, some have been cancled (because probably too obvious), but the ones that have been granted seem to be what Richrap did in 2012 for his color blending experiments.

Claims 17-20 are defenitaly a rip off, the other are debetable.
What do you think?

did you even read the patent? it is nowhere near what richrap did . they are doing a far more complex process which involves blending the filament way before it enters the exturder.

... maybe ten years ago some of the people coated the filament with paint to get "dyed" filament out - there were several different methodes discussed and posted in the forums.

There are numbers of other patents too, which claimed some "invention", what was discussed in a thread long ago -- so a pretty complex situation, if there starts disputes for "prior art".

AFAIK this was one of the main points, why USA recently changed some of the core IP regulations ("first to file" vs. "first to invent" and others) ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

ekagrgat, I've read the patent... Some stuff they say are different, but they differt from the claims. The claims are what is important.

I know they changed from "first to file" vs. "first to invent", but I guess I never realized that reprap was pretty much free R&D for big companies since they just have to patent what is free.

I just wanted to spread the word out there.