Anascape suing Nintendo and Microsoft
Console News, News August 6th, 2006
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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Tags: Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Sony PlayStation
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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.
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.
Oh. . . and guess what??? Nintendo lost. Time to pay up boys…..