Fireworks Communication Protocol Ruled Uncopyrightable on Appeal

An electronic communication protocol developed by Pyrotechnics Management Inc. to precisely and safely control firework displays can’t receive copyright protection, the Third Circuit said Wednesday.

The appeals court vacated Pyrotechnics’ injunction against a competing fireworks display company, fireTEK, and instructed the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania to dismiss the case.

The communication protocol, created in 1995 under the “FireOne” brand, includes a control panel that sends digital messages to a field module, which then performs a task, like lighting a particular firework. The communication system allows FireOne to “control complex firework displays, which can involve tens ...