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14 Jan 2008
Nintendo and Sony have been slapped with a lawsuit claiming that both companies infringe on a patent filed in 1996 by the Copper Innovations Group.
The lawsuit, filed in the Pennsylvania Western District Court on 27 December 2007, concerns a 'hand held computer input apparatus and method'.
Patent 5,640,152 claims a "method for remotely controlling a function of a computer monitor or other equipment in response to transmissions from less than all of a plurality of transmitters remote from said equipment".
In essence the patent describes a way to sort the inputs to a system from a group of transmitters by designating and comparing identification numbers assigned to each transmitter.
According to the suit, the technology used to connect the Sixaxis controller to Sony's PlayStation 3 and the Wii-mote to Nintendo's Wii violates the Copper Innovations Group patent.
The Blu-ray Remote Control and Wii Nunchuk were also named as infringing products.
It is unclear why Microsoft has not been named in the suit for its Xbox 360 controller, but some have speculated that it is because the device is not motion sensitive and does not use Bluetooth.
The suit will be particularly bad news for Sony, which has just ended a long patent spat with Immersion over the rumble feature used in PS2 controllers.
Copper Innovations Group is seeking financial damages, interest and legal fees, as well as an injunction prohibiting Sony, Nintendo or their agents from further infringing on the patent.
All parties were unavailable for comment at the time of writing.
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Retarded! Greed!
( 17 ) Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. ( 18 ) Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. ( 19 ) By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. [ 1 Timothy 6 : 17 - 19 ] Sony, makes a unit that is too expensive! Nintendo is being wrongly charged because of greedy group of people who are looking to take a part in Nintendo?s long awaited Revolution system! Nintendo?s controllers might uses newer technology. WOW! Greedy people want their share in the take of what they never create! Nintendo thinks of their customers! By giving them free things! Where Sony makes it hard for other than someone who has money can afford! It takes Sony a lot of units just to squeeze them! To get them to give something away. Leave Nintendo alone! They at least think of the poor! ( 4 ) To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them. ( 5 ) Evil people don?t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely. ( 6 ) Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich. [ Proverbs 28 : 4 - 6 ]
Posted by: Rylog 15 Jan 2008