"Microsoft, Sony sued over vibrating game controllers"

[Sada]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/fun.games/02/13/game.controller.suit.idg/index.html

Immersion, which develops technology used in making video game controllers vibrate, has caused a legal rumble by suing Microsoft Corp. and two Sony Corp. subsidiaries for alleged infringement of its intellectual property rights, the company said in a statement Monday.

Immersion said it sued Microsoft, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment of America Inc. over their alleged use of Immersion's so-called "haptic" technology in Microsoft's XBox and Sony's PlayStation and PlayStation 2, as well as associated games and devices.

Haptic technology lets users receive touch feedback from electronic devices including computer screens and mice as well as gaming hardware, according to Immersion. The complaint was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It alleges infringement of two U.S. patents, one issued in 1999 and one in 2001, said Patrick Reutens, vice president of strategic relationships and legal affairs at Immersion.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America has not seen the complaint and declined to comment on it, but did assert that it does not infringe on Immersion's technology or patents, said Sony spokeswoman Monica Wik, in Foster City, California. A Microsoft Corp. spokesman declined to comment on the issue before seeing the complaint, and Sony Computer Entertainment in Tokyo could not immediately be reached for comment.

Immersion and its subsidiaries have more than 150 patents issued and 200 pending worldwide, according to the statement. The technology has been licensed to partners in the game console market as well as to PC peripherals makers Logitech Inc. and Kensington Technology Group and others, Immersion said.

Immersion licenses the technology, which carries the brand name TouchSense, to makers of some peripherals for the Xbox and PlayStation. However, it has not licensed TouchSense technology to Microsoft or Sony for use with their consoles or controllers, Reutens said.

The company will seek a sum of damages based partly on information it expects to obtain through the legal discovery process, Reutens said. It would not rule out a settlement.

"If a business relationship could be created that made sense to us, we would be more than willing to consider it," Reutens said.

[JJaX]

What whining little Whores..

[Sada]

At least it's not as bad as the people who say they own the patent on the hyperlink, and that every single instance of an online link is an infridgement of their patent. Now THAT is truely lame.

[l Maximus l]

Some people need to seroiusly change their diapers... Just watch, they'll lose.

[Romo28]

Hey, If people see a way that they can make some money, they are gonna try it, especially if they are a money hungry corporation. If their patent is infringed on, by all means, they are entiled to a share of the dough. But if I read it correctly, they got the 1st pattent in 1999, but N64 had their "Rumble Pack" well before that didnt they? So to what specifics is this patent extended to?

Just my 2 cents:)

[Sada]

I agree. I just found this in another article:

"The company also reported its fourth-quarter results on Monday, posting a net loss of $3 million, or 16 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $5.4 million or 29 cents per share in the year-earlier period. Revenue was $5.2 million.

The company also said its quarterly burn rate had dropped under $500,000...."

I'm continually fascinated by patent and copyright law, especially in the technology sector, so forgive me if I go on and on. Patents are the weirdest mixture of intricate details and broad applications. Neato stuff.

And the thing is, people are always having the same idea at the same time. It can almost be considered a law how frequently that happens. So whoever gets the patent first gets all the rights? It's so much more complicated than that.

[JJaX]

Can i patent the useage of Vouls in a word?

[Sada]

If vouls are something special and different from vowels, you should go for it.

[JJaX]

Originally posted by Sada
If vouls are something special and different from vowels, you should go for it.

You know what i meant smart d1ck.

[Sada]

Calm yourself. I actually thought you were intentionally being clever. If you came up with something called "Vouls" that are some new version of something that already exists (like this company did), then you'd be all set up.


I guess I was wrong. *shrug*

[JJaX]

Oh my bad! :D
Sorry bout Dat

[Snoopy7548]

when i first read some lines of that article, i though sony was suing microsoft about the vibration thing:eek:

[Xbox Masta]

OH that makes me so made that Sony would Sue Microsoft. They had to make something up, or some reason to sue them so they made up this BS! There suein them cuz Sony needs all the money they can get!

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by Xbox Masta
OH that makes me so made that Sony would Sue Microsoft. They had to make something up, or some reason to sue them so they made up this BS! There suein them cuz Sony needs all the money they can get!

No Immersion is sueing both Microsoft and Sony. Not Sony sueing Microsoft or vice versa.

[Frostberg]

it should be a rule you have to read all the above posts in order to post yourself...this will avoid confused people like Xbox Masta from posting th hings like this...

[XBOXgamer13]

True Story here:

I read about a couple a days on the internet (cnn.com, I guess) go that there's this one young guy who play ps2 w/ vibration controller fo about 2 years ago and playing for about 5-7 hours got a disease or something. The guys hand were shaking even though he was not playing videogames. Now he going to sue Sony.

[Romo28]

Yeah, I believe It was called hand-arm vibration syndrome (or something like that). Its the same thing that construction workers that use jack-hammers get. But the kid also was playing 7 hours of games a day for years. His arms and hands would get discolored and shake. Kinda gross aint it?:eek:

[XBOXgamer13]

I think need to reduce my playing hours:confused: