Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net> Sent: Friday, October 15, 1999 15:40 Subject: Re: [Leica] Konica KM mount > But those were rights within those countries only. [...] For what it's worth, patent rights are valid for only 17 years in the United States, and they are not renewable. After that, anyone can do anything with the previously-patented methods or devices. For example, Sony patented its Trinitron aperture grille technology for television picture tubes in 1973, and had exclusive rights to that technology for 17 years. In 1990, the patent expired, and now lots of companies make aperture-grille picture tubes (although only Sony can call them Trinitrons--the Trinitron trademark is valid indefinitely). -- Anthony