Who owns the design for a component. For example who owns the design for the 2n2222 transistor? Are they patented?

 

Who owns the design for a component. For example who owns the design for the 2n2222 transistor? Are they patented?

The person or, more likely, the company that designed it and patented it. But patents expire, and any patent that ever existed on the 2n2222 has long since expired.

 

It is unlikely a 2N2222 could be patented, because the patentee would have to show that it had some innovation that, say, a BC107 didn’t.
There would be copyright in the design, which would be the mask design for the chip.

Interesting to note that for a product, the circuit can be copied legally, but the fascia panel artwork, the shape of the box, the instruction manual, and even the circuit diagram are subject to copyright.

 

The question of ownership of component designs has been largely moot for a long time and the reason is customer demand for 2nd sources. Many customers, including the military, of the era from 1960 onward demanded that any component used must have multiple sources. Companies actually recruited their competitors to be 2nd sources for their commodity products.

 

Mostly, one organization owns the patent, and others are licensed to produce the part also. OR, sometimes it is not the first producer owns the patent, but a number of producers have a license to build the part. And they do not complain, because some folks will not design in a sole-sourced part. That includes me, whenever there is a choice. I was bitten one time when another employee did a design with a one sourced component that was single sourced, and suddenly the military ordered every one they could produce. So I had a four month delay. I designed an alternate system using an alternate part and survived quite well. The other guy was terminated.

 

Mostly, one organization owns the patent, and others are licensed to produce the part also. OR, sometimes it is not the first producer owns the patent, but a number of producers have a license to build the part. And they do not complain, because some folks will not design in a sole-sourced part. That includes me, whenever there is a choice. I was bitten one time when another employee did a design with a one sourced component that was single sourced, and suddenly the military ordered every one they could produce. So I had a four month delay. I designed an alternate system using an alternate part and survived quite well. The other guy was terminated.

Many things were more than unusually bizarre in that era. My favorite was patching wire-wound ROMS.