Wapin and patents

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Springer <bake@spa.att.ne.jp>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: February 17, 2000 12:23 AM
Subject: RE: Wapin and patents


> Richard,
>
> Your information is mostly correct.  The license fee is due when you do an
> installation. This is true whether you sell the piano, are rebuilding the
> piano, or testing out the system.
>
> Bill Springer, RPT
>
> bill.springer@wapin.com
> http://www.wapin.com

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I would have to check with my patent attorney to be sure, but, once a patent
has been issued (and I do not know if a patent covering the Wapin has yet
been issued) sufficient information must be contained in that patent to
allow anyone of reasonable skill and knowledge within the field to
successfully understand, build and test the invention.  No license fee is
required to build the invention for this testing, but any product containing
this invention cannot be sold or given away by the builder without
permission from the patent owner.

This is one of the purposes for a patent.  The whole idea is to fully
disclose all pertinent information about the invention to the world --
including all of the patent owners potential competitors.  In exchange for
this full disclosure, the patent holder is granted exclusive rights to and
use of the invention for a period of 17 years.  Assuming, of course, that
all of the PTO's ongoing maintenance fees are paid as required.  If they are
not, the patent goes into the public domain.

It is not unusual for competitors to have products fully developed, tested,
in production and ready to ship on the day a particular patent expires.  All
of this development and manufacturing takes place without permission and/or
license from the patent owner.  But not a single item containing the
invention can be sold or given away until that patent expires.

Del