Intellectual property issues such as copyrights, patents, trademarks,
peer to peer networks, sampling and digital rights technology have a
profound impact on many aspects of society. Interbeing provides links
to emerging IP stories with a focus on law, technology and culture.
peer to peer networks, sampling and digital rights technology have a
profound impact on many aspects of society. Interbeing provides links
to emerging IP stories with a focus on law, technology and culture.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Sanity rules as garage door DMCA claim is denied
Garage door maker Chamberlin tried to use the Digital Millenium Copyright Act to prevent Skylink from marketing a universal garage door operner that had reverse engineered Chamberlin's proprietary software code. The Federal Circuit Court ruled against Chamberlin, stating that the DMCA did not grant new property rights for copyright holders, nor circumvent the public's fair use rights.
What seems strange to me is that by adding a computer chip to a product that contains computer code, companies can attempt to shut out competition through use of copyright protection that was never intented to protect things like garage door openers, computer printers automobiles. For instance, Lexmark is using the DMCA in an attempt to keep third parties from selling toner cartridges that fit their printers.
Anyone for a game of Monopoly? PERMALINK: 6:22 AM
Garage door maker Chamberlin tried to use the Digital Millenium Copyright Act to prevent Skylink from marketing a universal garage door operner that had reverse engineered Chamberlin's proprietary software code. The Federal Circuit Court ruled against Chamberlin, stating that the DMCA did not grant new property rights for copyright holders, nor circumvent the public's fair use rights.
What seems strange to me is that by adding a computer chip to a product that contains computer code, companies can attempt to shut out competition through use of copyright protection that was never intented to protect things like garage door openers, computer printers automobiles. For instance, Lexmark is using the DMCA in an attempt to keep third parties from selling toner cartridges that fit their printers.
Anyone for a game of Monopoly? PERMALINK: 6:22 AM
