This is also being discussed in this thread:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-55879-14.htm#1440609
Just as JJs had pointed out in her comments, it comes down to what is original design. I mentioned in the thread link above that I am tired of designers laying claim to patterns. Many of these designs are in the public domain. What are the elements of an original design? How can some of these designs be 'original' when they have been copied from many sources. Is it because they have taken that pattern and recently published it in a book or wrote an article in a magazine with a sample pattern using a public domian design?
Just walk through the churches in Europe and you will see every pattern/design imaginable in the tiles, stained glass, frescoes and the mosaics that you now see in quilting. These master artisans made these beautiful designs centuries ago.