You guys must not be aware of the new patent reform in the US. Prior art is no longer admissible. The new patent law states that who applies for a patent 1st will get the patent if it is approved.

This patent may not be effected by the new First to File laws if it was filled before the law changes. But, First to File means exactly that - showing prior art was part of the old system used to establish the First to Invent basis. It is no longer relevant.

So, do you have some actual experience with this or is this an opinion? I ask, because I filled for a patent in 2013 with the help of several patent attorneys and their explanation to me does not agree with what you are saying. By the way, Prior Art is way more than just old patents. Sure a patent would be rejected if the invention was already covered by an existing patent. The Prior Art I am referring to is drawings, pictures or even built models whether prototype or sold in production. The way the lawyers explained it to me, if Stern had been using magnets in pinballs for 20 years but never patented it, I could take the idea, wrap it in some words that claimed I was the inventor and I could patent that invention.

DCFAN,
Where did you see that this was from 2012. The link to the patent application says Feb 6, 2014 so it will clearly fall under the First To File laws. Perhaps Stern is taking advantage of the changes in the patent laws - go in and patent everything in pinball that is not already patented. They don't have to prove themselves to be the inventor.