Nintendo Gets Sued, Again

[Andy Chalk]

Nintendo Gets Sued, Again

Once again it's that special time of the week when Nintendo [http://www.nintendo.com] gets slapped with a lawsuit by some company nobody has ever heard of.

This time it's Bloomberg [http://www.hillcrestlabs.com/], while a fourth covers "graphical interface software used on the television."

Unlike many previous "patent troll" lawsuits, however, this one may have a somewhat more solid basis: Hillcrest has actually developed and licensed its motion-control and graphic interface techologies to companies including Universal Electronics [http://www.logitech.com/]. "While Hillcrest Labs has a great deal of respect for Nintendo and the Wii, Hillcrest Labs believes that Nintendo is in clear violation of its patents and has taken this action to protect its intellectual property rights," the company said.

Hillcrest has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission [http://www.usitc.gov/] requesting that importation of the Wii and Wii Remotes be blocked, as well as a civil lawsuit which predictably seeks a cash settlement, although the actual amount was not revealed. The lawsuit will "likely" be suspended while the ITC conducts an investigation, which normally drag on for about 15 months.

Nintendo has been hit with numerous lawsuits in the wake of the phenomenal success of the Wii, and currently has litigation pending in Texas, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Wilmington. The company is also seeking to overturn a $21 million ruling against it [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/85191] in a patent infringement case involving the Wii Classic, WaveBird and GameCube controllers.


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[Aardvark Soup]

I would advise those companies trying to sue Nintendo to pick another target without an army of very expensive lawyers, they would have a much higer chance of making money.

 

[snuffler]

Why would they wait until NOW to file suit if it were a real claim?

 

[Alienmen1]

Can Anyone Fight with Nintendo?!?

Its stupid to sue them... its like sueing an Homeless on the street

In the end you win nothing, you lose cash and you might get mugged!

 

[HobbesMkii]

No no, I think we should all get a piece of the pie. I, for instance, invented the "B" button. Before me, people only ever used the A button and the directional. "Option B" (as I called it then) represented a great step forward. Unfortunately, Nintendo and others would later abuse the concept beyond all recognition with the "Z" and, for Microsoft, the "X" and "Y" buttons. Except in the case of Playstation, where they skirted around my patent by turning it into the square. Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming suit.

Seriously though, once the patent people have exhausted all options and/or picked Nintendo clean, can the end-user start suing?

 

[Synangel]

mabey it will keep nintendo sticking to normal games..

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

See? This is what happens when you try to make video games mainstream, Nintendo... people take notice, for better or worse.

In my opinion, you can't patent an *idea* except in very rare exceptions. And yes, though they used the idea to help develop products for other companies, it is still just an idea.

EDIT: And be reasonable, Hillcrest... they might let you get away with a cash settlement, sure... but Nintendo stopping the importing of Wii;s and Wiimotes? It was nice knowing ya, 'cause they are going to eat you alive before that happens.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I dunno, maybe they actually cracked open a Wii mote and looked at how it worked and went
"Hey, wait a minute, I know those circuts" since they've ACTUALLY made a product for a change as opposed to these other companies that don't.

 

[Calobi]

I wonder if they would settle for being bought out by Nintendo. That way, they get some of the profit for "their" invention and Nintendo gets the patent it's currently using in its new system. Win-win.

 

[Jhereg42]

I wonder if they would settle for being bought out by Nintendo. That way, they get some of the profit for "their" invention and Nintendo gets the patent it's currently using in its new system. Win-win.

Maybe not. The back royalties and penalties on the millions of Wii consoles (As of last count 29.62 Million units sold world wide, 13.1 million in the US), and Wii Play units (11.51 million copies as of March 08) could be so good that the company would be better off not selling out to Nintendo.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

Why would you sue a giant megacorporation with a small army of lawyers and billions to pour into sueing your ass back?? When will the idoits learn....

 

[man-man]

I make no comment on whether this company deserves money for their patent or not, but I find the people saying "why do they both suing such a big company, they have money and lawyers and stuff" a tad worrying. Surely the whole point of a legal system is that they guy with the most money DOESN'T get to automatically win everything. The little guy is supposed to be able to stand up and get a fair hearing...

If their claims are baseless, then they'll be ruled against. But don't tell them to sit down and shut up just because they're up against a big corporation.

 

[DarkHyth]

They're just sore that someone else is making money from something LIKE theirs. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, as HobbesMkii so eloquently put it.

 

[Skrapt]

I make no comment on whether this company deserves money for their patent or not, but I find the people saying "why do they both suing such a big company, they have money and lawyers and stuff" a tad worrying. Surely the whole point of a legal system is that they guy with the most money DOESN'T get to automatically win everything. The little guy is supposed to be able to stand up and get a fair hearing...

If their claims are baseless, then they'll be ruled against. But don't tell them to sit down and shut up just because they're up against a big corporation.

I agree with the idea of giving them a fair trial, however Hillcrest are suing Nintendo for infringing on their patent of:

"A three dimensional pointing device"

I mean come on, if they actually have this patent they can demand royalties from cane makers to pen manufacturers.

 

[Lt. Sera]

Well at least this time the company that sues actually does something with their patent. Took them a bit long to get to this point though.

 

[DarkHyth]

I agree with the idea of giving them a fair trial, however Hillcrest are suing Nintendo for infringing on their patent of:

"A three dimensional pointing device"

I mean come on, if they actually have this patent they can demand loyalties from cane makers to pen manufacturers.

I lol'd. Nice one

 

[Arkfeller]

They have a lot of respect for THE Nintendo and the Wii? Obviously they don't have much respect for their grammar.

 

[stompy]

Why would they wait until NOW to file suit if it were a real claim?

Because Nintendo is reaping in the cash... seriouly, they print money everytime they male a new Wii.

As for the actual lawsuit, I'll have to agree with some of the others here: sue a company that you actually have a chance of winning against. As is, you're onna get your arse handed to you on a silver platter.

 

[Jumplion]

Because Nintendo is reaping in the cash... seriouly, they print money everytime they male a new Wii.

Aww, look Mr. Wii! Ms. Playstation is here to see you. Awwww, they're so adorable together!

Jokes aside, if I'm not mistaken hasn't Sony lost to some lawsuits like this? I'm pretty sure that Nintedno lost one or two also the Gamecube controllers and stuff.

They have a chance at winning, however small, as "man-man" said before me. Just because Nintendo can afford all these fancy lawyers doesn't mean they want to pay for them ;P

 

[[email protected]]

Nintendo will brush these guys off no problem..altho they are the strongest case as of yet.