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.