Vietnamese Crippler
03-29-2005, 05:13 PM
Sony Hit for $90.7 Million
SCEA ordered to stop selling PS2 consoles and controllers.
by IGN Staff
March 28, 2005 - The PS2 console and Dual Shock controller could soon become collectors' items. Immersion Corporation, a developer of touch feedback technology, has been awarded $90.7 million in damages for a patent infringement suit against Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Along with this, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has also issued a permanent injunction against the sale of consoles, controllers, and 47 games that have been deemed to have patent infringements as well.
Consumers will still be able to purchase all of these items in stores, however, since Sony will likely appeal the decision. As the appeal goes through, Sony will be paying compulsory licensing fees. In previous court orders on January 10 and February 9, Sony was ordered to pay a compulsory licensing fee and has paid for the time period from July 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004. Fees for time periods in 2005 will follow the same rates that have already been established.
All of this started back in February of 2002 when Immersion filed a lawsuit against both Sony and Microsoft over the force feedback technology that they had patented and which the other companies were using in their controllers. Immersion specializes in haptic technology which enables games to get more of a sense of feeling from their games. They also develop non-gaming applications as well such as surgery simulations. But it was when the company saw that videogame companies were using their own technology that they decided to sue in order to be paid for it.
In July, 2003, Microsoft settled with Immersion for $26 million, getting a stake in the company at the same time. Sony has decided to instead fight the lawsuit and back in September of 2004 the courts decided in favor of Immersion and ordered Sony to pay $82 million for the infringement. The new figure of $90.7 million includes $8.7 million of interest.
In its defense, Sony has argued that the technology being used in the Dual Shock is both simple and is taken from prior art that was around from before Immersion's patents. It has also countered that several of the uses have come from in-house development. So far it is looking like these arguments are falling on deaf ears and that as Sony will likely appeal to a higher court this case will take even longer to settle itself.
- ps2.ign.com
SCEA ordered to stop selling PS2 consoles and controllers.
by IGN Staff
March 28, 2005 - The PS2 console and Dual Shock controller could soon become collectors' items. Immersion Corporation, a developer of touch feedback technology, has been awarded $90.7 million in damages for a patent infringement suit against Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Along with this, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has also issued a permanent injunction against the sale of consoles, controllers, and 47 games that have been deemed to have patent infringements as well.
Consumers will still be able to purchase all of these items in stores, however, since Sony will likely appeal the decision. As the appeal goes through, Sony will be paying compulsory licensing fees. In previous court orders on January 10 and February 9, Sony was ordered to pay a compulsory licensing fee and has paid for the time period from July 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004. Fees for time periods in 2005 will follow the same rates that have already been established.
All of this started back in February of 2002 when Immersion filed a lawsuit against both Sony and Microsoft over the force feedback technology that they had patented and which the other companies were using in their controllers. Immersion specializes in haptic technology which enables games to get more of a sense of feeling from their games. They also develop non-gaming applications as well such as surgery simulations. But it was when the company saw that videogame companies were using their own technology that they decided to sue in order to be paid for it.
In July, 2003, Microsoft settled with Immersion for $26 million, getting a stake in the company at the same time. Sony has decided to instead fight the lawsuit and back in September of 2004 the courts decided in favor of Immersion and ordered Sony to pay $82 million for the infringement. The new figure of $90.7 million includes $8.7 million of interest.
In its defense, Sony has argued that the technology being used in the Dual Shock is both simple and is taken from prior art that was around from before Immersion's patents. It has also countered that several of the uses have come from in-house development. So far it is looking like these arguments are falling on deaf ears and that as Sony will likely appeal to a higher court this case will take even longer to settle itself.
- ps2.ign.com