Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Dept. of Homeland Security Enforces Expired Patent

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the tax-dollars-well-misspent dept.

Fouquet writes "Apparently the Department of Homeland Security does not have enough to do in keeping the US safe, and now is enforcing copyright law as well. The AP reports that a toy store owner in Oregon was requested by Homeland Security officials to remove a potentially copyright-infringing Rubik's cube-like toy from her shelves. The patent for Rubik's cube was issued in 1980, and so it is expired."

3 of 1,006 comments (clear)

  1. Um. Patent by Mike+Hicks · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Wow. The title of this article (er, the Slashdot blurb) says "trademark," and the body says "copyright" as well as "patent." I think we're just dealing with a patent here. These are fairly distinct things, with wildly different rules...

  2. I'm confused by j0nb0y · · Score: 1, Redundant

    The title of this story says expired trademark. Then it says they were complaining about copyright infringement. Then they say that the patent expired.

    Trademarks, copyrights, and patents are completely different. They are *not* interchangeable terms. The laws are different, the terms are different, and they are meant to protect different things.

    --
    If you had super powers, would you use them for good, or for awesome?
  3. I for one... apropos by Zarf · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I, for one, welcome our new trademark, copyright, and patent enforcing overlords.

    --
    [signature]