Re: [oc] hardware compatibility and patent infringement

["its me" <dan1mal@hotmail.com>]

what if you tested the hell out of the chip, knowing only pinout?

I do apologice for the the hotmail footer

dan


>From: Rudolf Usselmann <rudi@asics.ws>
>Reply-To: cores@opencores.org
>To: <cores@opencores.org>
>Subject: Re: [oc] hardware compatibility and patent infringement
>Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 09:36:54 +0700

>on 9/12/00 22:16, ABP at ab@cataloniamail.com wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > As some people in Opencores are developing cores compatibles with
> > designs protected by patents and copyrights I thought it was a good idea
> > to ask about "hardware compatibility and patent infringement" in this
> > mailing list.
>
>If understand US laws correctly, you can write cores and place them on
>the web site without having to worry about this subject.
>It's when you start implementing the cores, when you might get in trouble.
>
>A good example re various "cracks" that are posted all over the internet.
>
> > I would appreciate any information/answer you could give to the
> > following questions:
> >
> > 1. In general, What's the way to design a hardware processor (device)
> > compatible with the instruction set (specifications) of another
> > processor (device) without infringement of patents?
>
>Typically instruction sets are copyrighted, not patented.
>
> > 2. If someone implements a processor compatible with the instruction set
> > of another processor but without copying anything else from that
> > original processor apart from the original instruction set, will that be
> > patent infringement?
>
>That would be copyright infringement if the instruction set was 
>copyrighted.
>
>You could always mangle the bits around, and later un-mangle them again !
>
> > Please, point me to any good source of information on the matter that
> > you might know.
> >
> > Thanks for your time.
> >
> > A. Petit
>
>rudi
>

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