Lonestar Inventions claims Nintendo infringed on patent

[JKKDARK]

via News 8 Austin (http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=186232)

A Texas game-making company has sued Nintendo charging that it infringed on a patent in designing the Wii video game system.

Lonestar Inventions, in the suit filed in Tyler, seeks triple damages, but no specific amount and an injunction against Nintendo using the patented technology.

In 1993, one of Lonestar's principals patented a structure for capacitors that took up less space on a semiconductor chip by using parallel conducting strips.

Lonestar claims the same design showed up in Nintendo products but didn't identify any. Company attorney Phillip Bruns said it appears in the Wii.Nintendo's Julia Roether declined comment.

Lonestar has sued other companies over the same patent and won licensing agreements with Texas Instruments and Broadcom. Lonestar has filed similar lawsuits against Eastman Kodak and Austin-based Freescale Semiconductor. Kodak hasn't responded, and Freescale denied Lonestar's charges.

[Psyberjock]

Aren't we all getting tired of hearing about these little no name companies that start claiming patent infringement when another company independently develops something similar to an idea they "patented".

If they patent an idea, why don't they develop products which use the idea and then sell those products to the companies that want them? Instead they wait until something is tremendously successful then sue for ludicrous amounts of money. They don't care about protecting their intellectual rights as much as they do about legally extorting money. I think they should have to prove that Nintendo used their exact idea and did so with the knowledge that there was a patent on the idea.

[Freeter]

LMAO. They just want a share of Wii's cash pie.

They should sue Sony instead, I'm sure there's something in that behemoth called the PS3 they ripped off :rofl:

[Veskgar]

Aren't we all getting tired of hearing about these little no name companies that start claiming patent infringement when another company independently develops something similar to an idea they "patented".

You said it man. And you can't say it much better than that. I think its ridiculous if you ask me. I hope the suit against Nintendo gets thrown out.

[jamotto]

Nintendo should have spent more on patent research.

[LucianoBraga]

Wtf?
...

[maxipower90]

it shouldnt matter if these claims are true are not, as the rule states that you must show proof that you are going to MAKE the product, i heard this somewere.

[steve520]

wow i love these little companies trying to take down the powerhouse nintendo.hahahaha

[maxipower90]

wow i love these little companies trying to take down the powerhouse nintendo.hahahaha

lol yea, theres more chance in been granted eternal life, Ninty learned there lesson over SONY stealing there CD idea, and wont let this slip

[the_eternal_dark]

Condescending Reply: Lol, I'm sure Nintendo stole your design Lonestar... Not that your company hasn't been heard of much outside of suing other companies for similar crap.

Lol.

[jefdizon]

Anyone care to patent water, air, fire and dirt? :p so you can sue anyone who drinks, breathes, cooks and walks... lol :rofl:

Seriously folks, what would happen if a foreign company got so fed up with these U.S. patent trolls and decide to pull out from the U.S. market??

That would mean no Sony, Nintendo, Nokia, Ericsson or any other foreign tech products for U.S. consumers. It's gonna be their loss. :D

[Cloudhunter]

Sigh, thank god the wheel isn't patented!

Cloudy

[Kyoukan]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/rinnik/lawyer_cat.jpg

[DimensionT]

Cat!!!

[Basil Zero]

The console's which is getting the most money will get the most lawsuits, its all about the money

[Wii360PS3]

At least it will keep nintendo on its toes cos at the moment i feel nintendo is relying on the fact other consoles are recieving bad publicity

[SkyeDarkhawk]

Anyone care to patent water, air, fire and dirt?

Actually, take a look at the Monsanto corporation patents. They've patented many many different seed variations for farm use, and farmers must use their seeds in order to sell anything.

I think they've patented over one million different variations by now.

Water, air, fire, and dirt, probably will soon follow.



After a quick look, Monsanto has tried to patent pigs.

[Micky_c_dog]

Monsanto has tried to patent pigs.

how the F*** did they think they could do that?:confused:

[SkyeDarkhawk]

how the F*** did they think they could do that?:confused:

Well, the patent they are trying to get is so loosely worded about the process of genetically selecting pigs by breeding, that they're actually trying to patent next to the entire process of making pigs.
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/monsanto-pig-patent-111

Monsanto is trying to take over the food market.

Luckily, we've really have yet to see some upstart group trying to patent everything about video games, consoles, or even homebrewn. You'd be surprised what you can patent.

[ArugulaZ]

LONE STARRRRR!!!
(breathes heavily, falls over)

Yeesh, I hate these stupid patent campers. However, I have every confidence that Nintendo's Schwartz will be bigger than Lone Star's when this is taken to court.

JR

[Shadowblind]

If they did steal something, they have to pay just like everyone else. If Nintendo didn't steal something, well, life goes on.

If a game company really does infringe a patent, they aren't above the law. They must pay, too.