Re: Re: Electronic Schematics/Circuit Diagrams

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Electronic Schematics/Circuit Diagrams

Comments:
: : : Hi, : : : Hope someone can help me. I need to know the law on published electronic schematic diagrams. In this instance the item is a novelty electronic device - the basic concepts behind the design have been well known for nearly 50 years, and it's not subject to a patent of any sort. Really, what I need to know is this: If a circuit diagram has been published with a copyright notification and someone then wanted to adapt it for their own purposes, how different to the original published design would their adaptation have to be to ensure that they were not in breach of the original copyright? Please would anyone email me with the answer to this. Is there an international agreement on this? Are there any web resources which could explain it? : : : Thanks, : : : Chris : : : Christopher.tinsley@virgin.net : : : : : If the new improved circuit has dramastic changes in it like for example if it used to take 120v and now it takes 9v the thats a dramastic change that wont get you in trouble as long as that one hasn't been pantent yet either. : The copyright law only protects the mode of expression, not the ideas disclosed. Thus reproducing the schematic would be infringement. A legitimate redrafting of the schematic would not be an infringement. : A patent search is one way to know if the technology is available. Improved technology may be patented. Mere variations of degrees may not avoid infringement. They may be patentable if they are new useful and unobvious. : I had a client that got over fifty years of protection by continuing to patent different improvements of their basic patent even after the original patent passed into the public domain. : M. Arthur Auslander : Auslander & Thomas-Intellectual Property Law Since 1909 : 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 : 212-594-6900, fax 212-244-0028, aus@auslander.com : ELAINE's Workshop (sm) : E arly L egal A dvice I s N ot E xpensive

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