Copyright Question

[JazzBass]

Hi,
I have a question about what is protected by copyright.

I have seen the database design of a program that I created my own version of. The code is entirely mine, since I've never seen the source, but there is a table in the database that I made pretty much exactly the same. The only reason is because I thought it would be the most efficent way to store the data. I have a excerpt from the US copyright office below and I was wondering if need to ask permission from the original author to use this table design or if it's ok. I'm thinking that this falls below the last paragraph.

I do however give the author thanks in my 'about' box in my program. So I'm not taking all the credit for the design.

Let me know what you all think.

Thanks,
JazzBass


US copyright office:

Several categories of material are generally not eligible for federal copyright protection. These include among others:

Works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of expression (for example, choreographic works that have not been notated or recorded, or improvisational speeches or performances that have not been written or recorded)

Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents

Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices, as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustration