¿can a person be sued for designs?

[ruffrecords]

Well looking to go commercial at some point. I am also trying to not let the cat out of the bag.
If I combine a preamp from one desk and combine it with eq from another console and put it out as a product, a channel. What could happen?

A lot depends on if either part is in current production or not. If either of the manufacturers feels you have infringed their IP in some way you will usually first receive a letter from their lawyers telling to to cease and desist. At that point you can just stop and it is unlikely anything else will happen. Alternatively, you could challenge them which may turn out expensive.

Cheers

Ian

 

[PermO]

Well looking to go commercial at some point. I am also trying to not let the cat out of the bag.
If I combine a preamp from one desk and combine it with eq from another console and put it out as a product, a channel. What could happen?

I might buy it

 

[pucho812]

A lot depends on if either part is in current production or not. If either of the manufacturers feels you have infringed their IP in some way you will usually first receive a letter from their lawyers telling to to cease and desist. At that point you can just stop and it is unlikely anything else will happen. Alternatively, you could challenge them which may turn out expensive.

Cheers

Ian

Oh no, none of it current production.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Oh no, none of it current production.

Every design engineer worth his salt, studies competitor's designs and incorporates any unprotected good ideas that (s)he didn't already think of. That's why we patent or copyright what we think are our best ideas. Note: trying to save money using a cheap patent lawyer may be a false economy (don't ask me how I know).

There are more subtle trade dress concerns where even the color scheme can infer some respected brand association (lawsuit occurred regarding color scheme of knock off VOMs). There are even design patents for shapes, like the iconic coke bottle.

I am tempted say "just do it" but feel compelled to repeat the classic joke. "The easiest way to end up with $1M is begin with $2M and try to create a market for an unknown new consumer product" (not the exact joke but close enough).

JR

 

[ruffrecords]

Oh no, none of it current production.

So, if you draw your own schematics, create your own PCBs and front panel layouts, wiring schemes etc and do not use any logos or names of the original designs then you should be OK. But I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice

And if it turns out to be a great idea but contains no real IP, then others will copy you, probably undercut you and drive you out the market.

Probably the best kind of product you can develop these days is one with an embedded micro in it. These can be programmed so that the program code cannot be read so you have at least some protection.

Cheers

Ian

 

[pucho812]

There are sooooo many blatant commercial cloners these days. Has even one of them been sued? Seems to be a non-issue.

Trademarks seem to be the only thing enforced.

Not that I am aware of, but I want to be removed from blatant

 

[pucho812]

So, if you draw your own schematics, create your own PCBs and front panel layouts, wiring schemes etc and do not use any logos or names of the original designs then you should be OK. But I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice

And if it turns out to be a great idea but contains no real IP, then others will copy you, probably undercut you and drive you out the market.

Probably the best kind of product you can develop these days is one with an embedded micro in it. These can be programmed so that the program code cannot be read so you have at least some protection.

Cheers

Ian

That’s what I thought is the case.
I’m not trying to clone. Certainly not wanting to copy, but there are only so many topologies and only so many ways to skin the proverbial cat.

 

[ruffrecords]

That’s what I thought is the case.
I’m not trying to clone. Certainly not wanting to copy, but there are only so many topologies and only so many ways to skin the proverbial cat.

I suspect that what you are planning is not uncommon. For instance the early Trident consoles output stage was a direct lift from a Revox design.

Cheers

Ian

 

[nexo97]

[附件=完整]130914[/附件]

 

[pucho812]

View attachment 130914

Commercially available?

 

[nexo97]

OK

 

[ruffrecords]

Commercially available?

I hope not in its present condition. The mains safety earth is not connected to the chassis.

Cheers

Ian

 

[PermO]

Apart from that, it seems well build, nice unit.

I like the clean look, only the power button is a bit out of style.

I think N&T ADUIO should be N&T AUDIO ?

 

[ruffrecords]

Apart from that, it seems well build, nice unit.

Definitely some nice subassemblies. Who is MAGMA??

Cheers

Ian

 

[Ó Draighnáin]

Zeta

 

[pucho812]

I hope not in its present condition. The mains safety earth is not connected to the chassis.

Cheers

Ian

I noticed that right away.

 

[JohnRoberts]

That’s what I thought is the case.
I’m not trying to clone. Certainly not wanting to copy, but there are only so many topologies and only so many ways to skin the proverbial cat.

There is a near infinite number of ways to accomplish useful circuit functions (skin cats), but only a much smaller finite number of cost effective, high performance ways. You can cobble together a handful of good functional blocks to realize a new different combination but why does the world need it, other than so you can say you put it together?

The buyer evaluation generally comes down to "is it better?", or "is it cheaper" (and still OK)?

One thing I like about living in these times is that almost anything I can imagine has already been imagined by somebody else and often manufactured. Some of my bad ideas weren't, or didn't survive the markets.

JR

 

[nexo97]

 

[nexo97]

Revised version

 

[ruffrecords]

Revised version

Safety earth is still not correct. I also see no connection from analogue 0V to the chassis.

Cheers

Ian