Schematics & politics

[Paul Schreiber]

Here we go....

1) You need to understand the difference between a copyright and a patent.

A copyright on a schematic says you cannot reproduce it in any manner
(Xerox, redrawing into OrCAD, etc) without permission. It says nothing about building the
circuit.

2) A patent says you are the owner of the intellectual property stated in the
claims of the patent (what the rest of the patent says makes no difference). It
gives you the right to profit from the thing. If somebody builds the thing, and
PROFITS by it, you can get "relief" (ie sue the bastard). Actually, if somebody
builds your patented thing just for fun (ie doesn't make records, sell it to his
friend, etc) that is legal as well.

Patent are good for 17 years from date of GRANTING (not filing. I'm speaking
for the US here). Copyrights are good for (I think) 23 years. Copyrights can be
refiled for 100 years (I think), then it goes into the "public domain" (like old novels).

3) So, what this means is:

If a schematic is copyrighted, you can't scan it & stick it on your web site.
If a design is patented, you can't infringe on ANY (not all, any) of the claims for
profit.

For a wonderful patent database, see

www.ibm.com/patents

You can see all of mine there (boring, non-synth stuff)

Paul Schreiber
Synthesis Technology

----------
From: 	jbv[SMTP:JBV.SILENCES at wanadoo.fr]
Sent: 	Wednesday, April 30, 1997 10:07 AM
To: 	synth-diy at horus.sara.nl
Subject: 	Schematics & politics

Hello beautiful people (and Hawkwind fans as well),

I've been peeping into this list for a few weeks,
and I've seen plenty of contributions by happy
hobbyists ready to spend their days & nights to
improve the world of analog circuitry.

I've read contributions about posting old
schematics, about getting permissions to post
other schematics, suggestions for modifying / improving
some circuitry, calls for suggestions for new
circuitry, etc. etc.

And of course, as I'm a very curious boy*, a few questions
came to my mind, regarding posting & publishing, and
the copyright rules behind this.

For instance : let's say I have a project in mind.
I pick up ideas from a music machine released in 77,
a few bits of a schemo published in a magazine in 82,
another bits of info from a book I found at the public library,
another idea from another machine (by moog, why not),
mix up everything together, end up with a great salad and add 
my own ketchup on top of everything.
Then I end up with a new module that does (more or less) what
I had in mind at the beginning.
As long as this thing stays in my living-room, no problem.

But what if I decide to share / discuss this circuit on
the DIY list, and even publish the whole thing on the net ?
How many copyright rules am I breaking at that point (I don't
even think of going into commercial production) ?

On the other hand : what if I publish one of my great ideas
on the list, just for the pleasure of sharing it ?

jbv

* yes, I'm a boy