Tone2 will release Icarus - 3D WaveTable Synthesizer

[aMUSEd]

NI dont have any problem using it

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... /show/107/

You can make one in Live

https://bassgorilla.com/creating-z-plan ... -tutorial/

NI are not using it, that is a user created ensemble.

[fmr]

NI dont have any problem using it

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... /show/107/

You can make one in Live

https://bassgorilla.com/creating-z-plan ... -tutorial/

The first link points to an instrument in the User Library. NI doesn't take any responsibility for it. The second is not even in the Ableton site, and is a file with instructions for DIY filter. In both cases, nobody is selling or taking profit of anything, and is the work of a personal person that is being shared for free. Sure, they could receive a "cease and desist" warning, but that would be overkill, IMO.

Anyway, according to what a guy said in this site: https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewt ... 1274f432e9 the patents are expired "The patents are expired so there are no problems there. But like the original wavetable synths, most of the value is in the carefully designed points to morph between.
It is easy enough to make a morphing filter but I dont see the value unless there are loadable filter parameters so it can be expanded and added with new filters by the user instead of a fixed set of filters. Designing these filters is the hard part and from the experience of releasing software to create loadable wavetables I'm not sure I'd want to commit to the effort unless people would want to preorder.".

I don't know if they are expired or not, but I know they exist(ed). If the Tone2 filter is not an exact replica of the Z-Plane E-Mu filter, then they should call it something else, IMO. Otherwise, it is a misnomer, and may lead people to buy Icarus for something that it isn't. If it is, then they should clarify. Anyway, it isn't launched yet, so, we are talking about a project, currently. What is going to be in the final product still remains to be seen.

EDIT: This brochure of Proteus X2 clearly states "patented Z-Plane filters": http://images.americas.creative.com/ima ... eus_X2.pdf

[AnX]

NI dont have any problem using it

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... /show/107/

You can make one in Live

https://bassgorilla.com/creating-z-plan ... -tutorial/

NI are not using it, that is a user created ensemble.

NI are using the name, on their website.

[AnX]

As i see it, its not a filter, its the morphing process. So calling a filter z-plane makes no sense. You can morph any filter type.

[fmr]

NI dont have any problem using it

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... /show/107/

You can make one in Live

https://bassgorilla.com/creating-z-plan ... -tutorial/

NI are not using it, that is a user created ensemble.

NI are using the name, on their website.

So, if I was promoting a product with "Z-Plane filters" here at KVR, would that make KVR responsible for it?

[Ingonator]

edited. nvm

[AnX]

NI dont have any problem using it

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/r ... /show/107/

You can make one in Live

https://bassgorilla.com/creating-z-plan ... -tutorial/

NI are not using it, that is a user created ensemble.

NI are using the name, on their website.

So, if I was promoting a product with "Z-Plane filters" here at KVR, would that make KVR responsible for it?

Im assuming user libraries for their own peoducts are looked at by NI before being cleared. I guess not. No big deal.

[Frantz]

The lawyer that takes this case is going to be able to buy a new swimming pool.

E-mu still has a live trademark on "Z-PLANE":
http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield ... rt8t2d.3.1

Dave Rossum is using it too.

http://www.rossum-electro.com/products/morpheus/

With our MORPHEUS ​digital filter module, we’re finally able to unleash the full power of the 14-pole Z­-Plane Filters that Dave invented for the E-mu Morpheus synthesizer.

[Ingonator]

edited. nvm

[Ingonator]

edited. nvm

[AnX]

E-mu still has a live trademark on "Z-PLANE":
http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield ... rt8t2d.3.1

I do not think this is possible as "Z-Plane" is a term on mathematics. You could do a Google search for "Z-Plane mathematics".

You can have the same term for several fields/tech areas. Z-Plane in relation to filters/dsp could very well have been trademarked. (Seems it was/is)

Tesco will sell you an Apple...

[Frantz]

E-mu still has a live trademark on "Z-PLANE":
http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield ... rt8t2d.3.1

I do not think this is possible as "Z-Plane" is a term on mathematics. You could do a Google search for "Z-Plane mathematics".

Not only is it possible, the trademark exists and the link is provided.

It is a trademark specifically for "music synthesizers and electronic musical instruments" not mathematics, pizza, or laundry detergent.

So you can safely market "Z-Plane" pizza but lawyers could call you if you market "Z-Plane" synthesizers.

[recursive one]

Tone2 are registered in Germany, aren't they? To my understanding of the European patent system, a patentee should not be able to enforce an invention patent against a purely software product indended to work on a conventional PC/Mac. As for trandemark patents, they only forbid the use of exactly the same word for commercial purposes. I don't see any source of problems for Tone2 as long as they don't indicate the word "Z-plane" anywhere on the synth itself or in the manual. The worst thing that theoretically may happen is that they'll have to edit their facebook post (technically it can be seen as a part of the promotional campaign).

[Ingonator]

edited. nvm

[Lejurai]

Will there be any intro price for icarus?