It’s an interesting world we live in. In the middle of a generally boring day I came across this interesting bit of news that might actually be a biggie. Apparently, a court has ruled that Nintendo’s Wii U and Wii are currently infringing two different patents of the electronics company Philips.
Originally Philips sued Nintendo for three patent infringements back in 2012 relating to their remote controls. The England and Wales High Court has ruled this Friday that two of the claims stand true.
Both of the patents in question are for ‘user interface system based on pointing device.’
The patents can be described as devices with a camera and a physical motion sensor working with a computer system and a pointing device. In this, the patent explains that the pointing device sends commends to the computer system that are input through hand gestures. A motion trajectory of the pointing device is used.
Moreover, the patent also states that this technology can be used in collaboration with gaming systems for playing games.
See anything similar? All of it; we have seen this in the WiiMote.
In the ruling, the court has given the example of Wii Tennis to explain how the patents are being infringed:
“The Nintendo Wii system set up with Wii Tennis is an example of that combination and therefore infringes the claim.”
Now, Philips has requested a jury trial to seek damages and also asked the courts to order a ban on the import and sale of both the Nintendo consoles i.e. Wii and Wii U in the United States of America. Oh the horror if they succeed!
