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Russia Claims IP Rights In Manufacture of AK-47

Posted by kdawson on from the kalashnikov's-yer-uncle dept.

Daniel Dvorkin writes "In the latest example of over-the-top intellectual property demands, Russia wants licensing fees for the production of AK-47s. According to first deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov, the unlicensed production of Kalashnikovs (which have been around in very nearly their current form for 60 years) in ex-Soviet Bloc countries is 'intellectual piracy.' A giant but declining power starts demanding royalties on commonly used methods and materials that are widely understood, well known, and by any reasonable standard have long been in the public domain — does this sound familiar?" Wikipedia notes that the Izhevsk Machine Tool Factory in Russia obtained a patent on the manufacture of the AK-47 in 1999.

13 of 502 comments (clear)

  1. Pay or Die! by Howitzer86 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is interesting. Russia... demanding IP? Wow. What are they going to do if their demands are ignored? Invade?

    1. Re:Pay or Die! by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, they will change the manufacturing process to stop those dastardly internet pirates.
      Every single bullet on the planet will be recoded to stop working in old unpatched guns.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:Pay or Die! by aesdesdesdes · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ok now what idiot is gonna be the first to try enforce the patents on the A-bomb?

    3. Re:Pay or Die! by mblase · · Score: 2, Funny

      When guns are patented, only patent clerks will own guns.

    4. Re:Pay or Die! by Bloke+down+the+pub · · Score: 2, Funny

      I've never handled Russian weaponry - but I have fiddled with their cameras, and if that's anything to go by it's just their normal manufacturing tolerances.

      --
      It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.
  2. What do you want them to do? by wumpus188 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Open source it?

  3. AK-47 patent violations by David20321 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm glad I'm not the debt collector.

  4. Re:Russia? No, the company. by mobby_6kl · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does "deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov" sound like a position within a manufacturing company?

  5. Re:Russia? No, the company. by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm not directly familiar with Russian politics... but it might be. ;)

  6. Doesn't matter to me by brogdon · · Score: 5, Funny

    I get my weapons from allofrifle.com

    They say it's totally legal

    --


    This tagline is umop apisdn.
  7. Re:Polonium patent? by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Murder by poison is a fine tradition in spycraft. The "prior art" rule would prevent polonium from being patented.

  8. Re:Not quite true... Urban legend time by russotto · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually, he wasn't. The US was funding a different set of Afghans versus the Soviets at the time (there were multiple groups fighting them), and bin Laden was getting his support from the Saudis and other Islamists. That's part of the reason he dislikes the US so much - we were funding his competition.
    But, but, but, but... that would mean that there's something that's not the US's fault. That's non-possible.
  9. Re:Polonium patent? by IllForgetMyNickSoonA · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sorry, that's not proven to be correct.

    Although being rather similar in design, one can not say AK-47 would be a rip-off of Sturmgewehr-44 (I suppose that's what you meant with "MP44").

    Even wikipedia.de states your oppinion as merely a theory supported by some, not as a commonly accepted fact.