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RAM Controls - Star Wars Yoke
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crashwg:
Because someone else is profiting from their design.
RandyT:
IANAL, but I would expect this to be a patent issue, if anything.  And seeing as patents have short (compared to copyright) lifespans, I have a hard time seeing what they could do about  copies of the original control.  One should, however, be very careful with the use of the trademarks.

RandyT
Patent Doc:
Well Randy isn't, but I am.  Anyway, Randy is correct the design patent for that bad boy (if it ever had one) was dead in the early 90's (design patents have a 14 yr lifespan) and any utility patent was dead 17 years from issuance (since we're talking pre-1996 patents). I'd be shocked if any of those were still kicking.  Although trademarks can be held indefinitely, they can't be for something functional (appearance only).  I really doubt Atari has or ever had a TM to the appearance of the yoke.  As for copyright...this doesn't even apply here.  So my bet is Atari wouldn't have an basis to file a suit.

Patent Doc
Breaker:
Thanks for the update David!

Glad to hear all the machining is done, but sorry to about the powder coating issues.

Given the exceptional quality of the product you're producing, I can understand why you're holding out for a satisfactory result on this last element of the job.

All the best,
Breaker.
RandyT:

--- Quote from: Patent Doc on May 23, 2007, 12:03:07 am ---Although trademarks can be held indefinitely, they can't be for something functional (appearance only).  I really doubt Atari has or ever had a TM to the appearance of the yoke.  As for copyright...this doesn't even apply here.  So my bet is Atari wouldn't have an basis to file a suit.

--- End quote ---

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that that trademark or copyright issues would arise from the design.  I only meant that the terms "Star Wars" and "Atari" should be used carefully in the marketing of the product to avoid any problems.  E.g. it might be ok to say that the yoke is "a fully compatible reproduction of the the control used on the Star Wars arcade machine built by Atari", but it would probably raise the hackles to sell it as an "Atari Star Wars Yoke" or even a "Star Wars Yoke".  Those would probably be covered by trademark and/or copyright, which go on much longer than patents.

RandyT

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