Anascape suing Nintendo and Microsoft
August 6th, 2006 Leave a comment Visited 140 times, 4 so far today
Anascape suing Nintendo and Microsoft
Texas-based Anascape has filed lawsuits against Videogaming console makers Nintendo and Microsoft.
Anascape is claiming that these two companies are infringed a number of controller-related technology patents.
They are seeking damages with interest. In addition, they are asking the courts to instruct these two companies to pay them license fees in case they are allowed to continue selling gaming consoles with controllers infringing on their patents.
Anascape is saying that these two companies are breaking 12 of their patents. The patents range from “Analog Sensor(s) with Snap-Through Tactile Feedback” to “Remote Controller with Analog Pressure Sensor(s)” to “Game Controller with Analog Pressure Sensors.”
Interestingly, they have not sued Sony yet who are the market leaders in the videogame console market and have similar controllers for their Playstation range of consoles.
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August 7th, 2006 at 01:05 am
This is just insane! Patents like these will only serve to impede progress and innovation in the video game industry. They believe they have a claim on ANALOG controls?? Gimme a break. Next thing you know someone will announce they have a patent on wireless controllers. I hope the courts shut these guys down.
It’s one thing to have a patent for something completely unheard of and unique and quite another to patent something obvious to anyone with half a brain. Furthermore, if these patents are legit, I believe it is the patent holder’s responsibility to either produce products using this technology or impose a small enough fee that it does not hinder new product development from companies that would use it.
How many instances has an unused patent killed a technology? Basically, a game company would rather avoid paying licence fees so they don’t use the technology and the patent holder doesn’t have the assets to produce hardware / software capable of using their technology so it dies.
Patent law is sorely lacking in the field of video games. Time to modernize the law.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:17 am
I got a huge chuckle out of Ryan’s comment regarding patnets: it’s only “obvious” Ryan, after it’s been invented…. hahaha…. Otherwise everything would all be “invented” now, eh??? I hope the courts stick it to these big companies that think they can roll over these inventors.
May 7th, 2008 at 04:23 am
it may be obvious before the fact but the N64 which first used analog came out a decade ago what kept them? were they hiding under a rock?
May 7th, 2008 at 08:24 am
Analog sensing has been out since the N64 back in 1996, and they’re just suing now. I say it’s just a BS publicity stunt hoping to get money off of industry giants. I hope Nintendo and Microsoft win.
May 15th, 2008 at 03:52 am
Oh. . . and guess what??? Nintendo lost. Time to pay up boys…..