UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post

XTC · 27th Dec 2009, 4:01 pm

Unfortunately, I believe there's very little you could do to stop commercial exploitation you don't approve of.

You have copyright on any articles you may write describing the tester. You also have copyright on the PCB layouts. You couldn't stop people writing their own articles about the circuit with their own version of the cct diagram and doing their own PCB layout. You don't have a copyright on the concept of the circuit, just your particular expressions of the circuit as diagrams. Were it a microprocessor based project, you would have a copyright on the firmware, but copyright wouldn't stop white room reconstructions of the firmware, because copyright wouldn't protect the concept of what the firmware was doing, just your expression of it.

The other approach is patents. I recall it costs about 15 grand to register a patent. Certain tests have to be passed to qualify. The invention has to be unique, non-obvious, no prior art. If you are granted a patent, it gives you a time (15 years I think) in which you have a monopoly on commercial exploitation. You can sell the patent, license production under it, and take action against infringement. I don't think you can stop people making the device for themselves - that is non-commercially.

Check it with a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this is right.

I'm sure the best course is to write this project up as an article for Radio Bygones, or similar, as others have suggested.

Pete.

27th Dec 2009, 4:01 pm	#14
XTC Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 837	Re: Homebrew Valve Tester Unfortunately, I believe there's very little you could do to stop commercial exploitation you don't approve of. You have copyright on any articles you may write describing the tester. You also have copyright on the PCB layouts. You couldn't stop people writing their own articles about the circuit with their own version of the cct diagram and doing their own PCB layout. You don't have a copyright on the concept of the circuit, just your particular expressions of the circuit as diagrams. Were it a microprocessor based project, you would have a copyright on the firmware, but copyright wouldn't stop white room reconstructions of the firmware, because copyright wouldn't protect the concept of what the firmware was doing, just your expression of it. The other approach is patents. I recall it costs about 15 grand to register a patent. Certain tests have to be passed to qualify. The invention has to be unique, non-obvious, no prior art. If you are granted a patent, it gives you a time (15 years I think) in which you have a monopoly on commercial exploitation. You can sell the patent, license production under it, and take action against infringement. I don't think you can stop people making the device for themselves - that is non-commercially. Check it with a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this is right. I'm sure the best course is to write this project up as an article for Radio Bygones, or similar, as others have suggested. Pete.