# Who's allowed to make CDs? Patent Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-allowed-to-make-cds-patent-question/176535>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 21, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-allowed-to-make-cds-patent-question/176535 "2003-05-21T12:46:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-allowed-to-make-cds-patent-question/176535/1 "2003-05-21T12:46:34Z")

</div>

I’m not exactly sure when the CD was patented, I’m thinking somewhere around 1980. How long does a patent last (patent is the right word, right?)? I have the time 20 years stuck in my head, which would mean Sony’s patent would be running out by now, yet they seem to be the only ones who make them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-allowed-to-make-cds-patent-question/176535/2 "2003-05-21T16:00:07Z")

</div>

Some info to start:

[http://www.usbyte.com/common/compact\_disk.htm](http://www.usbyte.com/common/compact_disk.htm)