Sega Sets Its Lawyers on Professor Layton Developer

[snekadid]

"a mechanic that allows players to move characters via their finger or touch pen."

And this is why patent law needs to be torn down and started again, because this right here.... is batshit crazy.

This is honestly why patent laws need to be redone because of idiotic actions being taken.

While I know nothing about Japanese Patent Laws, in the US (where most of the previous stuff you guys are referencing takes place), there actually is something known as FRAND policy that basically says that something that is a universal innovation cannot be patented under traditional terms, the only way they're allowed is under, Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) rules that make it easy for everyone. Everyone who's into computer history or was alive at the time should remember that the first Windows Operating System the windows could not cascade/overlap even one pixel due to patents that apple owned, until judges threw it out because overlapping windows is a universally beneficial innovation that all should have fair access to.

Assuming Japan has any similar policy, this would be why Take 5 is so confidant about this; they know that SEGA's patents are not fair and are unreasonable. If this was in US court Take 5 would be winning this hands-down.

There may be plenty of examples of patent law needing to be reformed, but this (someone simply announcing taking someone else to court) does not indicate a broken system. In fact, the ability to take someone to court indicates a well-functioning system. Don't make rash statements "THIS PROVES THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND NEEDS TO BE DESTORYED!!11!" until the outcome has been announced, otherwise, if the system works in our favor, you wind up looking like a complete asshat.

Except that that stuff not only gets passed, it wins in court cases, and even where it wouldn't be viable, it still succeeds due to the system making patent trolling a viable source of income due to the high cost of defending. This is a constant issue and thus everything stated was valid as it being a CONSTANT issue is proof there of. Instead of getting on a high horse and trying to hide insults behind a barely relate-able example that is no longer relevant due to that massive changes made in the laws that have leaned heavily towards patent holder rights since then.

The major issue is that a patent can be placed on a concept rather than actual and comparable works. This violates the very basic premise of patents and is what has created the wasteland of legal garbage that fill courtrooms today. Oh and contrary to your no doubt enlightened final statement, Win or Lose, its very existence is evidence of a serious problem and only weak minded people would think of it in terms of "If I win its good but if I lose its bad", that's the thought process of a child.

 

[kburns10]

Can't I do the same thing on Fifa Soccer on Vita? Why aren't they being sued?