Subject:
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Re: Blocking And Tackling: A Nasty LEGO Copyright Battle
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.mediawatch
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Date:
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Sat, 4 Feb 2012 02:41:14 GMT
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Viewed:
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23350 times
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In lugnet.mediawatch, David Laswell wrote:
> I guess he never heard that they bought the original UK patent during their
> 1980's scuffle with Tyco.
I wonder what would have happened if Tyco had managed to buy the patent? Would
LEGO have gone gently into that good night?
How much did LEGO pay for the patent, by the way? Not too much, I hope, since
it expired by 1991.
> Also, until that purchase, while they may not have
> had any grounds to go after anyone who used the basic system (that would have
> been up to Page's estate), they did hold a clear patent on many of the
> improvements to the standard bricks, most notably just about any variation of
> the internal tube design they could think of, and probably the ridges that allow
> a TECHNIC pin to lock into the underside of the bricks (that one's more of an
> issue for 1x brick designs excepting the 1x1 itself).
I believe that the studs-and-tubes concept was the contested design whose patent
has now expired, and minor variations on that design might not be sufficiently
distinct to merit their own new patents.
> And while I can't say for
> sure about Megabloks or Best-Lock, I know I've seen more than a couple instances
> of clone brands on US store shelves with very recently patented LEGO brick
> designs, which is a great way to get sued.
You are absolutely correct. Mega Brands has produced several elements largely
identical to LEGO pieces that are more recent than the 2x4 brick (the 1x2 panel,
for instance), but my understanding is that these particular elements are no
longer (or never were) protected by patent, much like the way LEGO has produced
several element first produced by competitor brands. In fact, this must almost
certainly be the case, or else the hyper-litigious folks @ LEGO would be only
too happy to jump on Mega for the infringement.
However, you are totally right about the various knock-off brands that not only
copy **very** recent LEGO elements but also distinctive Mega Brands parts as
well.
It should also be mentioned that as a result of one of LEGO's many (generally
unsuccessful) attempts to sue its way into monopoly control, Mega Brands (then
Ritvik) was barred from having its products declare "works with LEGO." Some
competitors still do assert "works with the major brands," but Mega has dropped
that sort of claim altogether.
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