5 ms·
In my neighborhood, most of the houses were built from a fixed number of designs sourced from an architecture firm. Wouldn't the floor plans be the IP of the ar
by nhebb 9y ago
In my neighborhood, most of the houses were built from a fixed number of designs sourced from an architecture firm. Wouldn't the floor plans be the IP of the architect?
- meesterdude 9y agoGood question. IANAL, but i would imagine the floor plan is public record. If, someone were to build a new building using a previous designed floor plan, I can see how that could be an issue. But that's not even whats going on here. they aren't using the ACTUAL plans that the architect drafted - they're making their own map, which is akin to taking photos of the space. Like how record companies can own a recording but not a song. Where you get it from matters. But, not a lawyer. Curious what others make of it.
- dpark 9y agoPublic records might have the structural drawings of your house is recent. They probably won't have full layouts because the codes don't care. Depending on where you live and how diligent they have been about digitizing the records, though, there may not even be structural drawings on file. Source: Annoyed when I realized my house (re)built in 2009 has no architectural drawings.
- oftenwrong 9y agoI would assume so, but iRobot will not be copying the original floor plans, so that is not relevant. iRobot will be creating their own floor plans based on their own measurements acquired from customers' Roombas.
- pbhjpbhj 9y agoA floorplan is just a diagram showing factual data about a house, facts can't be copyright. If you copy the architects drawings to make the floorplan then copyright may apply, however. If the floorplan itself had intrinsic worth as a substantial piece of creative art, then maybe, just maybe you'd have a case. But the defence of "i measured the walls in my house and drew a plan" (using a computer, for example) should be watertight.