Electronic circuit copyright.

[ynneb]

I have found an electronic circuit on the Internet that I want to copy and distribute as open source.

My question is, Can you copyright an electronic circuit?

If I re-arrange the artwork for the circuit board layout but it is essentially the same circuit then is that sufficient to overcome copyright?

[vladdy]

A basic electronic circuit [small number of discretes] is in itself not copyrightable. Proprietary items are usually programmable arrays [the actual program itself], PIC code, and other 'firmware' combinations..
You could change a small number of items [diode specs, IC mfgr, and such] and be 'legal'..
A redone PCB as well would give additional distance betwen these circuits as well..
however, if the circuit looks like it's usable, and someone has done the work already, why not just ASK the person who did the origional development if they are willing to release thier work , in many cases it easier to give credit to the actual creator, and normally for 'small' circuits / boards, there is no [or little] value to the design..
my 2 cents worth

[ynneb]

Thanks Vlad for your 2 cents worth. ( You should charge more for your time though)

I cant ask the person because they are actaully selling the plans. The thing that bothers me, is I know that this person copied the plans from another and is now selling it at a profit. I dont know who he copied it from to ask that person, but I do know he copied it.

If I was to publish a reworked circuit board of the same circuit, how would this be viewed by the staff at CNCZone and also the members here? Please give me some pros and cons.

[Greg Fill]

If the person has a patent on the device then it does not matter how simple the device is you cannot distribute it. If the circuit is so obvious that any person skilled in the field could design it usually discounts anyone from getting a patent in the first place. Inspiration comes from many places and usually you can design a circuit to do the same thing another way. It is possible the original inspiration came from a manufacturers app. note.

What does the device do?

[Mariss Freimanis]

Reverse roles with this guy and yourself. I think that will help clarify the right or wrong thing.

Mariss

[kong]

How do you know he copied it? Just curious