Reading the actual page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Associates_Int._Inc._v...), the "workaround" is a clean-room reimplementation. Unless you were referring to something else?

That's how they did it in this case, but the precedent for determining infringement uses filtration, not the process by which you created the implementation (clean room or otherwise).

Of course, if you do walk this close to the line, you probably don't want to leave a paper trail that you're doing so.