Microsoft and Nintendo keep up with Sony, get sued for controller patents

[wraggster]

These days you're hardly participating in the electronic gaming industry if nobody is accusing you of stealing from their supa' secret stash of controller design patents. Microsoft and Nintendo have been lagging behind Sony lately, but the pair of them just got a nice big lawsuit which should have their respective controller design teams grinning with pride. The suit comes courtesy of Anascape Ltd, a Texas firm that is accusing Microsoft and Nintendo of breaching a whole slew of patents. The offenses include patents for "Variable Conductance Sensor," "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," "Variable Conductance Sensor" (again), "Remote Controller with Analog Pressure Sensor," "Analog Sensor with Snap Through Tactile Feedback," and "3D Controller with Vibration." Yeah, we have no idea what most of those are all about, but with this many patents floating around, this lawsuit is shaping into a nice bit of summer fun.

[philr359]

screw those bunch of big babies

o noes we didn't get enough attention at e3 so lets cry about it and throw a fit... we'll be the favorites again *sob*

[Darksaviour69]

do you knew there are some companies in the US that only buy old patents so they can sue, they don't make or sell anything!!!

[NoQuarter]

The way patent and copyright laws are now the only result is slowed human development.And it is really shamefull to buy a patent just to sue.Smart business though.

[stotheamuel]

hmm so it happens to nintendo and microsoft.. and everyone is up in a riot...

it happens to sony... and everyone's happy?

thats weird

[SSaxdude]

hmm so it happens to nintendo and microsoft.. and everyone is up in a riot...

it happens to sony... and everyone's happy?

thats weird

First of all, Sony stole the motion sencing stuff from Nintendo. Second, Microsoft hasn't even shown what their's will be like.

[stotheamuel]

what do you mean microsoft havent even shown what theirs will be like.. the 360 has been out for nearly a year dude

[Video_freak]

what do you mean microsoft havent even shown what theirs will be like.. the 360 has been out for nearly a year dude

thats what i was thinking. maybe hes talking about the xbox 720

[philr359]

First of all, Sony stole the motion sencing stuff from Nintendo. Second, Microsoft hasn't even shown what their's will be like.

I believe he is saying that Microsoft hasn't even shown what their motion sensing will be like.

[Quay Cur]

I think "3D Controller with Vibration" and "Remote Controller with Analog Button" are my favorites. Judging by the list it sounds like they're trying to say that you can't have a controller with buttons, analog sticks, or vibration... because they own all of it??

Wasn't the whole reason that the PS3 controllers at E3 didn't have vibration was because they were having a legal battle for the right to use it? This just screams "publicity." And who's reading it? Gamers on forums who probably won't be influenced by it as much as they are by the sack of gold they're gonna have to drop to buy the damn thing.