Chris Eddy wrote:
>
> Colleagues;
>
> I have been asked to design a product that will replace an intelligent
> sensor in a sensor system.  The sensors have some form of serial
> communications over some form of fixed wire modem signal link.  The
> technology appears to be fairly simple.
>
> In order to design a replacement, I would study the signal and
> communications messages.  I predict that it will be relatively
> straightforward.  The question is, when is a protocol proprietary and
> when is it acceptable to study ones' competitors product and design a
> replacement?
>
> I step gently because I am always one who leaps to the anti-chip copy
> side of the argument.  I sure wouldn't want to be seen as a hypocrite.
>
> Chris Eddy

I always thought of a proprietary protocol as one that is NOT a
standard, that's it. Are their any patents involved with the product
being studied? I'd say check them out to make sure you don't get
yourself into trouble. Are you sure that the protocol doesn't have some
for of documentation out there for the public to see? I always thought
that a car's electrical system used some type of NON STANDARD
interfacing but then in Circuit cellar I read about all the different
standards that are implemented and even which manual to order to get
them all.

I understand the anti cloning stance. But I'd say people study existing
ideas all the time and THAT is how new ideas are developed.

                        Damon Hopkins