Microsoft and Nintendo Sued Over Controller Patent
Gold-digging jokers in Texas try it on with a patent scam.
You may have heard that both Microsoft and Nintendo have been hit with a lawsuit from Texas-based company Anascape, which claims that both console manufacturers have infringed on a load of their patents relating to controller technology over the last seven years.
Anascape claims that it is owed interest for past damages, plus a substantial license fee from both companies, should they wish to keep using analogue sensors, tactile feedback, and vibration mechanisms.
Anascape’s Brad Armstrong patented something called 'Variable Conductance Sensor' back in 1999 as well as the following, over the course of the last seven years:
'Game Controller with Analog Pressure Sensor'
'Variable Conductance Sensor with Elastomeric Dome Cap'
'Remote Controller with Analog Button'
'Image Controller with Sheet Connected Sensors'
'Game Control with Analog Pressure Sensor'
'Variable Sensor with Tactile Feedback'
'Analog Controls Housed with Electronic Displays'
'Analog Sensor with Snap Through Tactile Feedback'
'3D Controller with Vibration'
Do any SPOnG readers have any amazingly vague patents that they have registered over the last five or ten years which might make them inadvertently really rich by enabling them to sue some company which has made a healthy profit out of something which might sound a bit like it? Let us know in the forums.
Anascape claims that it is owed interest for past damages, plus a substantial license fee from both companies, should they wish to keep using analogue sensors, tactile feedback, and vibration mechanisms.
Anascape’s Brad Armstrong patented something called 'Variable Conductance Sensor' back in 1999 as well as the following, over the course of the last seven years:
'Game Controller with Analog Pressure Sensor'
'Variable Conductance Sensor with Elastomeric Dome Cap'
'Remote Controller with Analog Button'
'Image Controller with Sheet Connected Sensors'
'Game Control with Analog Pressure Sensor'
'Variable Sensor with Tactile Feedback'
'Analog Controls Housed with Electronic Displays'
'Analog Sensor with Snap Through Tactile Feedback'
'3D Controller with Vibration'
Do any SPOnG readers have any amazingly vague patents that they have registered over the last five or ten years which might make them inadvertently really rich by enabling them to sue some company which has made a healthy profit out of something which might sound a bit like it? Let us know in the forums.
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Comments
Joji 4 Aug 2006 16:49
1/8
Hey, we ain't saying they are gold diggerz, but they ain't messing with no broke n*****s.
Bloody americans like to live in court, this is totally stupid now. I reckon this isn't gonna go anywhere. Nintendo produce their first analogue pad with N64, which was not within the seven yeah period. The fact that Nintendo are a japanese company, who's products are conceived and built in japan puts these Texans' on a bit of a backfoot, surely.
MS would be more inclined to feel the boot here, but the smell of greed is eminating from this one.
I think these texans smelled a chance after Immersion got their payout. Perhaps MS and Nintendo should sue them, for copying Immersions money grabbing antics.
Bloody americans like to live in court, this is totally stupid now. I reckon this isn't gonna go anywhere. Nintendo produce their first analogue pad with N64, which was not within the seven yeah period. The fact that Nintendo are a japanese company, who's products are conceived and built in japan puts these Texans' on a bit of a backfoot, surely.
MS would be more inclined to feel the boot here, but the smell of greed is eminating from this one.
I think these texans smelled a chance after Immersion got their payout. Perhaps MS and Nintendo should sue them, for copying Immersions money grabbing antics.
LUPOS 4 Aug 2006 17:04
2/8
only thing that seems even remotley plausible is the pressure sensitive buttosn thing as that was new to the xbox. (and sadly left off the 360 buttons, but strangley exists on the d-pad!?)
Depending on when in 99 this was filed they may be able to get soemthignf orm that but seeing as its no longer in the controller i doubt its an issue... unless this is why they left it out of the 360?!... I'm so confused.
worst comes to worst MS will by them out.
Depending on when in 99 this was filed they may be able to get soemthignf orm that but seeing as its no longer in the controller i doubt its an issue... unless this is why they left it out of the 360?!... I'm so confused.
worst comes to worst MS will by them out.
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tyrion 4 Aug 2006 17:38
3/8
LUPOS wrote:
only thing that seems even remotley plausible is the pressure sensitive buttosn thing as that was new to the xbox. (and sadly left off the 360 buttons, but strangley exists on the d-pad!?)
The Dual Shock 2 was supposed to have pressure sensitive buttons for all but start and select.
LUPOS 4 Aug 2006 18:52
4/8
tyrion wrote:
The Dual Shock 2 was supposed to have pressure sensitive buttons for all but start and select.
i thought so but wasnt positive and didnt feel like lookin it up ;)
only games i know of that ever used the option on xbox are doa3 and doax... i seem to recal itagaki being a bit pissed when they decided to leave it out of the 360... might be why those games arent Backwards Compatible.... i think...
goes to check...
suprisingly it says 3 does work... wonder how that pans out... will have to give it a try this weekend.
_________
TwoADay 4 Aug 2006 20:46
5/8
Yeah, I can only recall DOA3 using the pressure sensitive buttons, and even then it was very sketchy. I couldn't ever consistantly pull of a "light" tap, as I tend (I guess) to put some pressure on my button presses. The best I could do was about 50% of the time it worked, and that was by pressing the side of the button, rather than a full on press.
They certainly didn't work in my case. The only way to get that kind of thing to work, i think, is to have various "click stages" on a button, so you can tell when you're about to "kick it to 11" or just stay with the regular 10.
They certainly didn't work in my case. The only way to get that kind of thing to work, i think, is to have various "click stages" on a button, so you can tell when you're about to "kick it to 11" or just stay with the regular 10.
majin dboy 5 Aug 2006 01:23
6/8
greedy.thats the first word that came to mind. Joji,ur spot on ,the texans obviously thought,how can we make sum money and saw how immersion(legit)did it.
the sad thing is they probably think there in the right,but any court should through this out,rudiculous.
i have a patent on breathing so im gona sue all u oxogen lovin bastards.
the sad thing is they probably think there in the right,but any court should through this out,rudiculous.
i have a patent on breathing so im gona sue all u oxogen lovin bastards.
PistolPete 5 Aug 2006 19:12
7/8
I read in Ops2 about two years ago that Sony were being sued due to copyright laws connected to the DualShock vibration function. Seeing as Sony have left the vibration function out of the new controller (much to the dismay of developers like Hideo Kojima) one could assume that Sony had trouble with the court case, which doesn't bode well for MS and Nintendo I guess.
Oh, and I know the 'degrees of movement' thing was officially why Sony left the vibration function out, but, then, of course it was...
Oh, and I know the 'degrees of movement' thing was officially why Sony left the vibration function out, but, then, of course it was...
thane_jaw 6 Aug 2006 07:38
8/8
Sorry to be pedantic but the port of Metal Gear 2 to the Xbox used the pressure keys as well - in fact it was a big part of the game because you used one button to aim and pushed it in slightly more to shoot. Always did think it was a bit too fiddly.