Sony Barred From Making Dual Shocks, has to pay $90M
- Thread starter TEXAN
- Start date
jvd said:
i am not saying game controllers, rumbling or not, cannot go for 30$ (or more) w/o any patent licensing fees. especially brand names. and especially at launch. problem with license fees though, is that they do not decrease with time, so a product whose 'production' cost includes N bucks of licensing fees at the start of its production will carry those N bucks of "added value" through the end of its production lifespan. that's why i, being a dumb consumer, do not appreciate out-of-nowhere licensing fees in the prices of the products i buy. the majority of them are pricey enough even w/o those.
if you think a given sony product, or all sony products for that matter, are overpriced, you can just avoid them. patents, though, affect the whole industry - if there's a licensing fee on rumbling controllers you simply cannot buy one without the licensing fee. from any producer.
Geeforcer said:
I guess it shows which company's execs are looking ahead and which are assuming they're untoucheable. Sony probably could have settled for around the same amount if they weren't as arrogant. Personally though I don't care for rumble in controllers. It was kinda neat for 5 minutes back in 1998 but I wounldn't miss it.
Teasy said:
The N64 had a side-to-side pendulum like device that produced the rumble. I am not sure what the GCN has but it appears to be different (I am not going to open my controllers up to find out though!)
While the patent system may be messed up, the fact is Sony plays the system also. The problem with patents is where do you draw the line. HD-DVD and BR both use blue lasers, yet have their own implimentation. And if someone wants to make a device that uses that implimentation they have to pay them. This does not mean other companies cannot make blue-laser devices, they just cannot "Steal" someone elses ideas and research. Nintendo patented the Cross D-pad. That meant no one could do the exact same control pad. Now, that did not prevent OTHER D-pads from being made, just not ones like Nintendos.
The fact Logitech and MS are paying Impression indicates both companies feel it is a valid patent. Does not even matter if the patent system is right (if Sony wants that arguement they need to retract all their patents as well). I think we need patent reform, but until it is done companies need to play by the rules. The reality is Sony lost the case; with such a huge settlement I think it is pretty clear Sony is at fault.
The fact Nintendo has not been sued is pretty telling also--Immersion is only going after companies who ripped their idea off.
From Engadget:
For example, why is there GT-GT3, but not GT4? GTA3 and GTA VC but not SA? Amplitude but not Frequency? Tony Hawk 3 but not THUG? etc...
Is there some common nominator in those games, are they using the vibration function in DS somehow differently than other games?
"Speed Punks"... has anyone even heard of such game???
The list of games is a bit odd.
For example, why is there GT-GT3, but not GT4? GTA3 and GTA VC but not SA? Amplitude but not Frequency? Tony Hawk 3 but not THUG? etc...
Is there some common nominator in those games, are they using the vibration function in DS somehow differently than other games?
"Speed Punks"... has anyone even heard of such game???
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0...6-15321,00.html
SONY'S game unit has been ordered by a US court to pay about $US90 million ($117 million) in damages and to halt game machine sales in the United States.
http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/ar...ion_Sales_in_US
Sony Fined and Told to Cease Playstation Sales in US
By James Wray Mar 28, 2005, 11:23 GMT
A US court has ordered Sony to pay $90.7 million in damages over a patent infringement and cease sales of Playstation consoles.
The company has been told to stop selling their Playstaion, PlayStation II and a range of associated games that use the technology
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4387045.stm
Sony has been told to pay $90.7m (£48m) in damages and stop selling PlayStation consoles in the United States after losing a patent infringement lawsuit.
However, the order to suspend sales of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles - the best selling games platforms in the world- and more than 40 individual games does not hold while an appeal is being heard.
SONY'S game unit has been ordered by a US court to pay about $US90 million ($117 million) in damages and to halt game machine sales in the United States.
http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/ar...ion_Sales_in_US
Sony Fined and Told to Cease Playstation Sales in US
By James Wray Mar 28, 2005, 11:23 GMT
A US court has ordered Sony to pay $90.7 million in damages over a patent infringement and cease sales of Playstation consoles.
The company has been told to stop selling their Playstaion, PlayStation II and a range of associated games that use the technology
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4387045.stm
Sony has been told to pay $90.7m (£48m) in damages and stop selling PlayStation consoles in the United States after losing a patent infringement lawsuit.
However, the order to suspend sales of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles - the best selling games platforms in the world- and more than 40 individual games does not hold while an appeal is being heard.
Sorry? What's patented is a particular set of vibrations?! 
Sony should buy Immersion and be done with it
Also, didn't someone say MS bought stock in Immersion? Is this 'you can't sell PS/PS2 in US' another MS business manoeuvring?
Sony should buy Immersion and be done with it Also, didn't someone say MS bought stock in Immersion? Is this 'you can't sell PS/PS2 in US' another MS business manoeuvring?
obviously
No I doubt it, first of all if Sony are appealing the decision it will buy them some time. 2nd if this ruling only affects the US (and Canada?) then territories such as Japan, Europe, Asia, Oceania (Australia and NZ) etc. are still able to receive Dual Shock 1 and 2 as well as the above mentioned list of games that violate said Immersion patent.
The ruling is just a hurdle to overcome regardless of whether they win or lose the appeal, by that time some agreement will be reached between Sony and Immersion and all will be well. Point being, it is kinda pointless worrying about PS3 being rushed to market over this court case, PS3 will be released when it is ready.
The ruling is just a hurdle to overcome regardless of whether they win or lose the appeal, by that time some agreement will be reached between Sony and Immersion and all will be well. Point being, it is kinda pointless worrying about PS3 being rushed to market over this court case, PS3 will be released when it is ready.
Wonder what would this mean to backwards compatibility of PS3.
Would Sony be forced to drop the compatibility altogether, at least in the us model?
Would Sony be forced to drop the compatibility altogether, at least in the us model?
rabidrabbit:
TEXAN:
Shifty Geezer:
Some of them might not have released by the time the claim was filed, but, yes, the game has to meet the conditions of providing a vibrational response which varies over its duration and reflects variable game conditions.
TEXAN:
That's because the PlayStation systems are sold with the Dual Shock controllers which infringe on the patent.
Shifty Geezer:
In acquiring partial control of the technology for their own products, MS has become a stake owner in the IP, which is being illegally included in the controllers being sold with the PlayStation consoles, and are obligated under patent law to protect that IP from infringement if they want to preserve their patent rights.
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