AVR-Chat

On Mon, Jun 13, 2005 at 09:37:15AM -0300, Javier Fiasche wrote:
> Hi  all, i have a question.
> I have to copy a board that has an 80c31and a 2732 external program
> memory. I am thinking on doing the same board but with a 89c51 and no
> external memory. Anyone knows if 80c31 an d 80c51 are fully
> compatible?. I do not have access to the code, just the bin file read
> from the memory. What problems can occur?  Thanks.

Yes, an 8031 is exactly a romless 8051.

However, there must be some very good exceptional reason one would
rework such an antique and continue to use antique parts.

-- 
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@HiWAAY.net
========================================================================
Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.

Well, I am not so sure about ALL of the items on that litany of 
legal problems.

First, if he is changing the layout to a new uC and deleting other 
hardware, then it will require re-routing many of the traces.  So, 
the board itself will not be the same.

The schematic is probably not patentable because most of the 
hardware in the schematic is well known, and may even have been 
specified by the uC manufacturer.  I.E. Public domain

Intellectual property.... maybe sort of....  Like the issue of "look 
and feel".  

If he makes it for his own use, then what are the lost profits?  
Maybe zero.  Punitive damages.  Punishment for what exactly?

Taking someones patented/copyrighted idea and then extensively 
modifying it is not illegal and happens all the time.  The question 
of degree of "extensive" is the rub.  The developers idea if 
"copying" may not be the judge's idea.  

IMHO, changing processors and deleting hardware may be sufficient 
for defining it not as "copying" and instead classify it 
as "inspired by".  

But he DID say "copy" IN HIS OWN WORDS.  Pretty damning evidence.

Reusing the code would be really bad, if he sold it.  Pretty bad if 
he just ripped it off for his own use.  But he may have had to buy 
one of the originals in order to get the code.  That might be 
sufficient license to use one (and only one) version of the code at 
a time.

-Tony
"Admit nothing.... Blame others"


--- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, "Roy E. Burrage" <RBurrage@b...> 
wrote:
> 
>        Patent infringement
>        Copyright infringement
>        Intellectual property rights
>        Lost profits
>        Punitive damages
> 
> These for starters.  There may be others.
> 
> 
> REB
> 
> 
> Javier Fiasche wrote:
> 
> > Hi  all, i have a question.
> > I have to copy a board that has an 80c31and a 2732 external 
program 
> > memory. I am thinking on doing the same board but with a 89c51 
and no 
> > external memory. Anyone knows if 80c31 an d 80c51 are fully 
> > compatible?. I do not have access to the code, just the bin file 
read 

> > from the memory. What problems can occur?
> > Thanks.
> > Javier
> >

On Jun 13, 2005, at 4:09 PM, arhodes19044 wrote:

> But he DID say "copy" IN HIS OWN WORDS.  Pretty damning evidence.

Not really. I've often been asked/directed to copy a design by the  
design owners. The problem is they have lost the original artwork/ 
source code over the years and for some reason believe that original  
work to be of great value.

In every case a clean sheet of paper was faster, cheaper, and better.

--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@HiWAAY.net
========================================================================
Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.

Tell me about it.  I had a hard drive crash a few months ago and had one 
program on a PIC that I lost the code to in the HD crash.  I had to read 
one of the chips, disassemble it and rewrite the code from that.  
Fortunately I didn't code protect the chip.  :-)

Zack W9SZ

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005, David Kelly wrote:

> 
> On Jun 13, 2005, at 4:09 PM, arhodes19044 wrote:
> 
> > But he DID say "copy" IN HIS OWN WORDS.  Pretty damning evidence.
> 
> Not really. I've often been asked/directed to copy a design by the 
> design owners. The problem is they have lost the original artwork/
> source code over the years and for some reason believe that original 
> work to be of great value.
> 
> In every case a clean sheet of paper was faster, cheaper, and better.
> 
> --
> David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@HiWAAY.net