Nintendo Loses UK Motion Control Patent Ruling To Electronics Giant Philips

[Lady Lilith]

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-loses-uk-motion-control-patent-ruling-to-electronics-giant-philips/1100-6420634/

 

 

 

A United Kingdom court today ruled in favor of electronics giant Philips in its ongoing case against Nintendo, stating that the company infringed on two Philips patents related to motion controls. Nintendo did not violate a third patent related to "modeling a body in a virtual environment," UK High Court Judge Colin Birss said in court today, as reported by Bloomberg.

It's not immediately clear what penalty Nintendo faces as a result, but Birss said he would provide an update on the damages to be paid to Philips sometime in July. Whatever the case, a Nintendo representative said the company plans to appeal the decision.

"Nintendo has a long history of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others," the company said. "Nintendo is committed to ensuring that this judgment does not affect continued sales of its highly acclaimed line of video game hardware, software, and accessories and will actively pursue all such legitimate steps as are necessary to avoid any interruptions to its business."

Philips is also suing Nintendo in the United States, claiming that Nintendo copied two of its technology patents. The first is related to real-life actions inside a game and the second revolves around an input system featuring a pointing device. In this case, Philips is asking for a block on all sales of the Wii U, as well as damages.

This is the second major patent lawsuit Nintendo has lost in as many years. Last year, a jury ruled that Nintendo's 3DS violated patents held by former Sony inventor Seijiro Tomita. He was initially awarded $30.2 million in damages, but this figure was later halved.

 

So Phillips owns the idea of TV remotes or remotes of any kind? Since when?

[SliceofDread]

Patents are so dumb for the most part.

[Goekie]

The infringement of the two UK patents I can understand but the US lawsuit seems like a very long stretch

[DarkStar83x]

Patents are so fucking idiotic.

[D-Tron]

Money talk$.

[Dr_Mayus]

Hasn't Nintendo suffered enough at the hands of Phillips