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My guess is that the ‘secrecy’ is because the ‘technology’ is so simple and could be built in anybodies’ garage with off-the-shelf- parts.

You rely upon trade secrets when you are confident that you can protect your franchise by keeping it secret. If anyone can do it, then your only recourse is to patent it. The way you patent something is that you disclose it, which is what patent means. So, this argument in defense of their secretiveness is total BS.

How about this?

What if it turns out that anyone CAN make one in his garage once everyone knows how.

I may be wrong, but I thought that anyone could duplicate a patented item for his own use. He just couldn’t sell it, or make money on it.

If this is so, and everyone starts making them themselves from plans on the Internet, and even making them for friends and family, how does a patent protect Rossi?

I may be wrong, but I thought that anyone could duplicate a patented item for his own use. He just couldn’t sell it, or make money on it. If this is so, and everyone starts making them themselves from plans on the Internet, and even making them for friends and family, how does a patent protect Rossi?

Well, first, if it can be made from common parts then trade secrets certainly won't protect it. For something to be protected as a trade secret it has to be a secret no one can discover on their own and the only way to get it is to steal it (the secret sauce). Second you cannot steal a patent period. Now if you make one for your own use and it is of no value the other side has no damages and so there is not much to sue over. But, if you make one yourself, and stop using power from the utility company then you just stole several thousand dollars per year worth of IP and someone does have real damages - real value that you stole from them.