Is this a joke?/Sony PS2 Controllers are Illegal!

[BatChao]

I actually think Immersion just owns the patent to one kind of force feedback motor. I believe it's the kind with two motors side by side and probably other various features. These are the motors used by Sony and Microsoft. Nintendo has their own rumble feature (probably developed when they created the Rumble Pak for N64), so they are exempt from this lawsuit.

Also, if I remember correctly, MS and Sony were sued at the same time, but MS opted to settle out of court. They paid the company like $20 million or something and bought some of their stock or something like that. Sony opted to go to court and this is the result.

[MecaKane]

"Oh, oh. I own controlers and those games what'm I gonna dooooooo?"

Nothing! God. What do you think Sony is paying for? They're compensating Immersion for you buying their [img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img], no one's going to take anything from you. They can't fault any customers for buying something that Sony shouldn't have been selling.

[Navydav]

But if they quit making the Dual Shock controller, does that mean the games that suppport it won't work anymore? And does this have anything to do with using the joystick to move characters, etc around because I love the Analog Function.

[Endless]

- It's the rumble feature that's at stake
- Nintendo licensed from them before the suits, I think for the GC, since the N64 used a speperate device you'd plug into the controller
- MS, settled out of court and in the mean time bought a little part of that company
- Depite all the headlines, Sony cann still sell PS2s, PSs, controllers and the games listed. During the appeal, the order is suspended.
- There is still a long way before it will end. Sony said they were ready to go to the Supreme Court if necessary
- The first patents filed by Immersion were around 1995 if my memory serves me right.

[crazybayman]

yep......no worries here.

When the "$hit really hits the fan" down the road, Sony will have a solution. Whether its a new controller thats compatible to the previous dual shock games, or a settlement with Immersion, or whatever, we'll all still be able to play our games.

[Daggers64]

Apearantly, Sony was ordered to stop selling the PS2, the controller, and the games that use the rumble feature.
The reason being, Immersion owns the rights to all forms of rumble feedback... as well as other forms of feedback.
Sony can't even have the technology in their PS2 that allows for the Rumble feature. @_@
So, there isn't even a chance that Sony can make their own rumble, because it's still belongs to Immersion. =/
Even Nintendo had to pay Immersion to add rumble to their controller.

This means that if Sony wants to keep the rumble feature, they HAVE to pay Immersion for it.

At least for now, there is the appeal... Donno how far it will go, cause I dont know the details of the case. =/

[Old Manus]

This may greatly increase the prices of Sony goods.

[YukiKiro]

for the love of- they're suing on an offset weight that spins around thus creating a rumble effect. you can put a patent on science? since when? sometimes the world never ceases to amaze me.

[BatChao]

If I was a small company and had a genuine case and could potentially make millions, I'd sue too...

[MecaKane]

you can put a patent on science? since when?

Since patents were invented, I'm sure. Drugs, cars, electronics, etc etc etc.

Sony would sue the [img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img] out of you if you sold something that used their technology that they developed themselves to play their games. And I think they tried to, with Bleem, only it was found that Bleem's bios was one they developed it themselves or something.

[Big D]

I think it's a true testament to Microsoft's pathicness (pathetability? pathetitude?) that the only way they can gain an advantage over their competition is by way of lawsuit. Not by being a better company with a better product, but through another typically trivial civil action. Damn US legal system with no 'floodgates' principle...

Since vibrating controllers have existed since N64 days (admittedly, the Rumble Pack was a slightly different system) there should be some means to counter this lawsuit. I mean, imagine if the makers of Pong decided to copyright the joystick. Practically every console ever (except for the Sega MS/MD and the NES/SNES) would be affected.

This is like that time Wizards of the Coast (makers of Magic: The Gathering) said they were going to copyright card games. They didn't succeed, did they?

[TasteyPies]

Practically every console ever (except for the Sega MS/MD and the NES/SNES) would be affected.

The NES had a joystick-like controller available

[BatChao]

Plus Pong used a wheel... not a joystick, but I get your point. I dont know why some of you guys are attacking MS for this... it's not like they told Sony to use the patented technology... don't forget that MS was sued too. They just settled out of court, which Sony probably could have done as well. Why they chose not to is beyond me.

[Destai]

So immersion owns anything that rumbles?

[Big D]

What irks me is that several companies develop the same technology, then years later someone else uses it and decides to patent it. After its already in widespread circulation, and even when they didn't invent it themselves.

I haven't studied intellectual property law (yet), but allowing someone to patent someone else's invention and then using that patent to attack competitors who used the product before it was patented just seems wrong.