I found this little piece interesting

**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

**Disturbed316** · 03-29-2005, 05:43 PM

Holy crap

**Boomer** · 03-29-2005, 06:11 PM

It doesn't matter considering the PS3 will probably come out before this ever gets settled. And I mean come on....making rumble technology isn't that hard.

The Playstation is due for a new controller anyway.

**Kane Knight** · 03-29-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomer

It doesn't matter considering the PS3 will probably come out before this ever gets settled. And I mean come on....making rumble technology isn't that hard.

Neither is double clicking, hard drives on video game systems, or online scorekeeping.

What do all these concepts have in common?

They're patented.

**Boomer** · 03-30-2005, 01:42 AM

I'm not denying it isn't a good move. Something stupid just netted this company 90 million bucks or more.

**Boomer** · 03-30-2005, 01:47 AM

And yes....the 90 million they'll get eventually makes it a genious move.

**Kane Knight** · 03-30-2005, 01:48 AM

Which they really should have gotten in the first place.

Let's be realistic. Someone came up with an idea that thousands of people have found to be cool in application, and Sony shouldn't be able to get away with it.

DS · 03-30-2005, 01:58 AM

Nintendo should be able to get away with it.

**Boomer** · 03-30-2005, 02:00 AM

Yeah it is honestly just a dumb move from a corporation thinking they are too big to be worried about it in the first place.

DS · 03-30-2005, 02:07 AM

I don't think that's why they fought the lawsuit. They gave it a shot and now they're paying for it. Not much to do now but pay.

**Kane Knight** · 04-01-2005, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS

Nintendo should be able to get away with it.

Different integrated technology, I'd wager. Or they actually licensed it...

**Kane Knight** · 04-01-2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS

I don't think that's why they fought the lawsuit. They gave it a shot and now they're paying for it. Not much to do now but pay.

IT's a corporation. One branch of Sony sues for Copyright infringement based on the sales of CD-Rs, another one sells them, and a third creates better ways to use them.

It's possible that they were confident their technology was different enough not to incur such problems, and were willing to try that in court. Or maybe they are a big corporation who thought they could get away with it. Or maybe they don't have a fucking clue, because one branch didn't know the other end of the "In house" technology.

There's a lot of reasons that are possible, and we don't know.

It looks, however, like Sony's already started making an effort to pay.

03-29-2005, 05:13 PM	#1
Vietnamese Crippler Unnecessarily awesome Posts: 8,323	I found this little piece interesting 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

03-29-2005, 05:43 PM	#2
Disturbed316 Posts: 22,695	Holy crap

03-29-2005, 06:11 PM	#3
Boomer The Wretched Posts: 4,690	It doesn't matter considering the PS3 will probably come out before this ever gets settled. And I mean come on....making rumble technology isn't that hard. The Playstation is due for a new controller anyway.

03-30-2005, 01:42 AM	#5
Boomer The Wretched Posts: 4,690	I'm not denying it isn't a good move. Something stupid just netted this company 90 million bucks or more.

03-30-2005, 01:47 AM	#6
Boomer The Wretched Posts: 4,690	And yes....the 90 million they'll get eventually makes it a genious move.

03-30-2005, 01:48 AM	#7
Kane Knight Ron Paul 4 EVA Posts: 152,467	Which they really should have gotten in the first place. Let's be realistic. Someone came up with an idea that thousands of people have found to be cool in application, and Sony shouldn't be able to get away with it.

03-30-2005, 01:58 AM	#8
DS look at that hat Posts: 4,520	Nintendo should be able to get away with it.

03-30-2005, 02:00 AM	#9
Boomer The Wretched Posts: 4,690	Yeah it is honestly just a dumb move from a corporation thinking they are too big to be worried about it in the first place.

03-30-2005, 02:07 AM	#10
DS look at that hat Posts: 4,520	I don't think that's why they fought the lawsuit. They gave it a shot and now they're paying for it. Not much to do now but pay.