So, I'm building a guitar effects pedal. It's based of the schematic of a certain pedal except I've added, taken away and changed a lot of components and values to get a different sound from it.
Would it break copyright laws if I sold it?
Another one or you - Electrical circuit
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Almost-Blink182
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Looks like you've been busy!
I don't think there are any copyright implications here. Copyright is not really concerned with purely practical devices, machinery and so on. The nearest it gets to covering that sort of article is the topography of integrated circuits and the construction (ie the code) of computer programs.
The main IP here would be patents. But from your description the original effects pedal sounds fairly generic. Anything which is obvious and merely reflects the state of the art cannot be patented. Check the product you have based yours on for any patent statements, or if the manufacturer has a website, you could see if they claim any patents there. Patents need to be registered in each country separately* and in the UK protection lasts for 20 years.
Assuming that there is no existing patent covering the technology you are employing, you would be free to sell your system.
*It is possible to take out a European patent under the European Patent Convention 1971 (this is not an EU system)
I don't think there are any copyright implications here. Copyright is not really concerned with purely practical devices, machinery and so on. The nearest it gets to covering that sort of article is the topography of integrated circuits and the construction (ie the code) of computer programs.
The main IP here would be patents. But from your description the original effects pedal sounds fairly generic. Anything which is obvious and merely reflects the state of the art cannot be patented. Check the product you have based yours on for any patent statements, or if the manufacturer has a website, you could see if they claim any patents there. Patents need to be registered in each country separately* and in the UK protection lasts for 20 years.
Assuming that there is no existing patent covering the technology you are employing, you would be free to sell your system.
*It is possible to take out a European patent under the European Patent Convention 1971 (this is not an EU system)
Advice or comment provided here is not and does not purport to be legal advice as defined by s.12 of Legal Services Act 2007