Microsoft and Nintendo are getting sued! =O

[KentaRawr!]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6155238.html


Sony has already lost a lawsuit regarding patent infringement in its DualShock game pads, and now rivals Microsoft and Nintendo are facing their own legal battles over controller technology.

Texas-based Anascape filed suit on Monday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that both companies infringed on 12 patents it was granted between 1999 and 2005. The patents in question deal with a variety of controller technologies, including analog sensors, tactile feedback, and vibration mechanisms.

The complaint specifies which patents it believes each company violated, but it doesn't detail the alleged infringements. Anascape is seeking payment with interest for damages it suffered as a result of the alleged infringement and an accounting of Nintendo and Microsoft revenues that stemmed from the use of the patents. If a judge doesn't rule for a permanent injunction against the companies' use of the patents, Anascape is also asking for them to be made to pay a compulsory licensing fee to keep using them.

Court records indicate that a summons was issued to Nintendo and Microsoft on Monday, but the companies as yet have not assigned any legal representation in the case.

>_>... Well THAT was lame.

[Tifa's Real Lover(really]

a thread for every little thing? any ways, theyll probably just bribe the judge or something

[bipper]

Copywrite and pantents are bare none, the most rediculous and incocievablely stupid thing on this damn planet.

After Income Tax.

Are they disrupting patents in like industries, it diesn't look like it. This case will clearly go to whomever has more money available.

[Shoeberto]

I remember hearing speculation that this might happen, but I didn't realize that it was going to move on to Nintendo and MS - in fact, I think the big N was supposedly doing work specifically on the Wiimote to make sure it didn't break any patent laws.

This is pretty much hella lame, though, and just a way to get a quick buck.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

Dumbest. Lawsuit. Ever.

[Rengori]

Dumbest. Lawsuit. Ever.

[bipper]

Dumbest. Lawsuit. Ever.
fixed.

[The Hubsta]

I reckon Anascape got those patents deliberately for the pupose of suing MS and Nintendo, but didn't tell anyone.

[AdVenT]

Dumbest. Lawsuit. Ever.

[Madame Adequate]

I reckon Anascape got those patents deliberately for the pupose of suing MS and Nintendo, but didn't tell anyone.

Unless they can scry the future, no they didn't.

Edit: To everyone whining; what do you expect? Are people supposed to NOT defend their patents?

[KentaRawr!]

I reckon Anascape got those patents deliberately for the pupose of suing MS and Nintendo, but didn't tell anyone.

Unless they can scry the future, no they didn't.

Edit: To everyone whining; what do you expect? Are people supposed to NOT defend their patents?

The reason it's lame is because they didn't actually name what the infringements ARE. They just say infringements. o_o

Edit: Before I am pwn'd, remember, I'm just a clueless 13 year old kid who only knows the law of gravity. >.>

[edczxcvbnm]

This is from a different company but here are the outcomes on the rumble feature violation(was from a company that invented it for PC controllers).

Microsoft had been sued for patent infringement and payed out and agree to pay royalties there forth.

Sony lost and is the real reason the ps3 has no rumble feature(too stupid to come up with a new rumble design).

I don't know about nintendo...I don't think they were sued in this instance but seriously can't remember.

This company sounds like they are just trying to cash in. As long as another company can prove they have invented what ever before said patent was created then they should win and the patent thrown out. But who knows?

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

This is from a different company but here are the outcomes on the rumble feature violation(was from a company that invented it for PC controllers).

Microsoft had been sued for patent infringement and payed out and agree to pay royalties there forth.Microsoft also ended up buying a chunk of the company.
Sony lost and is the real reason the ps3 has no rumble feature(too stupid to come up with a new rumble design).What's funny is that Immersion (the company that sued MS and Sony over the vibration technology), recently approached Sony with an offer to help them put vibration into the PS3 controller. Even they can see what a loss it would be to have a controller without force feedback.
I don't know about nintendo...I don't think they were sued in this instance but seriously can't remember.Yeah, Nintendo wasn't implicated in the Immersion lawsuit. It'll be interesting to see how they handle this one.

[edczxcvbnm]

Thank you for reminding me that Microsoft had bought part of the company and for confirming that Nintendo was not implicated in the lawsuit.

I had not read anything about Immersion approaching Sony with the offer to help them put the rumble technology into the Dual Shock 3. That is a bit interesting.

[Maxico]

I find it funny that as soon as something has a negative effect on the gaming industry in some way, it's suddenly the 'Dumbest. -. Ever"

These laws exist for a reason, and I'm sure that if you spend millions developing specific technology, you wouldn't want to see it stolen by other companies.

[DanteV9]

It's not like Nintendo will go under just because of this, so there's no need to worry.

[SuperNatural]

Sony can suck my dick. Weren't they the ones that completely ripped-off Nintendo's rumble feature and analog stick? After Nintendo 64 was released, PSone redeasigned their controller to have the rumble feature and analog stick... Nintendo should be sueing Sony's fat thief ass!

[KentaRawr!]

Sony can suck my dick. Weren't they the ones that completely ripped-off Nintendo's rumble feature and analog stick? After Nintendo 64 was released, PSone redeasigned their controller to have the rumble feature and analog stick... Nintendo should be sueing Sony's fat thief ass!

Sadly, they can't. Both things were acomplished to have the same effect on games, but they reach that goal in a different way with different technology. And it's not like it's a bad thing. Now we have analog sticks on all our controllers. :p

[SuperNatural]

Sadly, they can't. Both things were acomplished to have the same effect on games, but they reach that goal in a different way with different technology. And it's not like it's a bad thing. Now we have analog sticks on all our controllers. :p
True, but Sony is just being hypocritical. Not good, in fact, that makes me hate Sony more. I fuckin' hope that PS3 loses the next-gen war badly (even worse than Nintendo in the current-gen war with GameCube). Those cocky, thief hypocrites need a wake up call.

[KentaRawr!]

True, but Sony is just being hypocritical. Not good, in fact, that makes me hate Sony more. I smurfin' hope that PS3 loses the next-gen war badly (even worse than Nintendo in the current-gen war with GameCube). Those cocky, thief hypocrites need a wake up call.How are they being hypocritical? Remember, Anascape is the one sueing. And I think the Virtual Boy would be a better example. The GCN actually did pretty well. Just not quite as good as the X-Box.

Of course, this is not to imply that I like Sony, saying how the Analog Stick was a great invention when the PSX came out and all that. >_< Of course, that's to be expected from a company of any kind that is searching for money. >.>

[Maxico]

Sony can suck my dick. Weren't they the ones that completely ripped-off Nintendo's rumble feature and analog stick? After Nintendo 64 was released, PSone redeasigned their controller to have the rumble feature and analog stick... Nintendo should be sueing Sony's fat thief ass!

I'm getting tired of repeating myself, but Sega were the first to introduce an analog controller.

Nintendo were simply the first to make it standard for their consoles.

[KentaRawr!]

Here's IGN's article on it:


Nintendo, Microsoft Face Patent Lawsuit
A Texas-based company claims its controller ideas were scooped up by the big boys.
by David Adams

August 4, 2006 - Earlier this week, Texas-based Anascape filed suit against Microsoft and Nintendo alleging that the companies infringed a number of controller-related technology patents. The suit seeks to recover damages, with interest, and that license fees be paid to Anascape should Microsoft and Nintendo not be ordered to cease use of the patented technologies.


The patents named in the suit appear related to game controllers, though their titles and descriptions are surprisingly vague. Patents named in the suit include "Variable-Conductance Sensor," "Game Controller with Analog Pressure Sensor(s)," "Remote Controller with Analog Button(s)," and "Variable-Conductance Sensor with Elastomeric Dome-Cap."

The oldest of the 12 patents cited was granted to Anascape in 1999, while the most recent -- "3D Controller with Vibration" -- was granted in 2005. Given the breadth of control mechanisms described in the patents, as well as the time period covered, it isn't clear just which of Microsoft's or Nintendo's technologies are at issue in the suit.

Neither Microsoft nor Nintendo returned requests for comment at the time of this writing

[Hambone]

Finally!

[SuperNatural]

I'm getting tired of repeating myself, but Sega were the first to introduce an analog controller.

Nintendo were simply the first to make it standard for their consoles.
Very sorry.

[bipper]

Edit: To everyone whining; what do you expect? Are people supposed to NOT defend their patents?

Patents for making a controler vibrate, detect motion, or any other common end game goal should not exactly be allowed. The purpose of a patent is utterly retarded and thier protection goes way to far. They also seem to be handed out for nearly anything anymore. A patent that does not revolutionise a standard public domain item (as a controller) should not be fucking patented. Endostory. All such patents do is retard and slow the progressions of technologies by overglorifying mediocre and hardly innovative ideas; As we have seen in the automobile, manufacturing, pharmesutical (walgreens sucks.), and especially software industries.

Can I blame a person for protecting a patent? Yes. I can. I do not agree with their actiosn, therefore I can indeed critisize their roundabout ways to make money of retarding the progression of certain technologies.

To make matters worse, congress changed the patent laws about a year ago sp that it does not award the inventor, but the first person to file for a patent. America just became more like the rest of the God-for-saken (legal-wise) world. A pathetic step back towards beurocratic control.

Bipper