Sony, Nintendo and Nokia sued for making gaming devices that do stuff
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 24th 2009 6:36PM
posted February 24th 2009 6:36PM
While most folks welcome gaming devices that do more than simply play games, Texas-based Wall Wireless LLC seems to think that's a bit over the line, at least when it's not getting a piece of the action. More specifically, the little known company says that Sony, Nintendo, and Nokia are infringing on its patent for a "Method and Apparatus for Creating and Distributing Real-Time Interactive Media Content Through Wireless Communication Networks and the Internet," which apparently relates to someone distributing "messages having aural or visual content that is generated by the operator using handheld apparatuses such as mobile telephones." According to Wall Wireless, that patent not only covers the DS and PSP, but specific games like Mario Kart and Wipeout Pulse, and a whole host of Nokia's game-playing phones, including the N95, N93, and N82. As a result, it's seeking a permanent injunction against the allegedly infringing companies lest it be "irreparably harmed," as well as the usual damages, expenses, and attorney's fees, not to mention "pre-judgment and post-judgment interest."[Via Register Hardware]
This company better hire more Harvard graduate lawyers for his upcoming money laundering biz
At a certain point "patents" and "intellectual rights" protection goes way too far.
Someday I've gonna get sued for copying down notes in the classroom.
I'm going down to have my kids in Texas! What kind of food are they giving to people that all the geniuses and patents live there?!?!?!
When I get my patent for "Method and Apparatus for Breathing Through the Use of a Mouth, Nose and Lungs" you'll all be screwed.
Something has to be done about these patent trolls. I say torture and tar and feathering.
a method for stopping patent trolls using tar and feathers...brb, patent office.
@Flashpoint
I thought you were a teacher? If so, then why are you copying down notes?
USPTO needs to fix these types of obviously stupid patents. Anyone with half a brain a little common sense can see the silliness of this whole thing. This system is broken.
Ugh! Not another one.
@Flashpoint
Which is exactly why I never took notes in class.
@Brian... that's exactly why he would get sued, he would be copying another teacher's "Method for educating others in a room with desks and chalkboards inside an educational institution"
@ Brian - What, you think teachers all have a photographic memory and retain EVERYTHING they learned in college over the years? They still go to classes and retrain themselves ya know...
hopefully this doesnt ruin our chances to see a psp phone.
I smell a patent troll.
Patent Whore is more appropriate...
Jeeze louise this is getting out of hand.
If I decide to make a wrist watch someone is going to sue me because it is a device that tells time. meaning any and every toaster/computer/cellphone/radio clock iPod dock/ car deck/calculator/camera/train station display/oven/fridge/range/GPS manufacturer is going to sue my arse because their products can tell time...
and then there is the watch manufactures...
I think "troll" is correct, because this is what they look like:
http://i.pbase.com/o4/06/642806/1/61792279.VT6Bav1C.DSC_00361.JPG
Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go poop.
Absolutely a patent troll. Sounds so damn trivial. I don't know how they can accept these patents in the first place.
Has anyone patented "Method and Apparatus for Exploiting Other Companies by Frivolous Lawsuits using Overly Broad Patents". Talk about beating the patent trolls at their own game.
I'm going to sue engadget because I originally got the idea to post about gadgets back in '78 when laser disks were being announced.
What about all the freebies you've entered to win? you might want to reconsider your options or cough-up all the freebies you've ever won here :-)
Someone actually wins those things? OO
Give them the middle finger and then demand them to stop patent troll.
Can we please get the Death Penalty for these patent trolls ?
bollucks
another crackpot company trying to take a stab at a market leader.
it's companies like this that put a bad name to technology
if you patent an idea so general you'll have a case against everyone! cell providers and the like.
but then again that would make you a monopoly because if youre the only one allowed to do such a thing then you are effectively creating a monopoly and content delivery wirelessly is done by sooooo many companies
How did they even get a patent on that? Isn't that a but vague? Bunch of friggin leaches!
i know it's like if i got a patent for
"a method of creating something"
how does the IPL allow these things
Patent Trolls!
But does it go ding when there's stuff?
"messages having aural or visual content that is generated by the operator using handheld apparatuses such as mobile telephones" sounds like it covers any form of transferring pictures and movies from handheld devices through messages. So pretty much all cell phones nowadays infringe on the patent.
Good luck on getting this one to stick, this distribution method that they're claiming rights to has been in use on the Internet for 10 years, the court is going to ask why they waited till now to file for an injunction, and why it isn't being filed across the board.
patent trolls...
they need to get over themselves
Well hey they better sue all the wireless mouse and keyboard makers too; and while they're out doing that they can sue the makers of PMP's with wifi too. Actually they better just sue every major electronic manufacturer on the planet because I can think of hundreds of things that are, Methods and Apparatus for Creating and Distributing Real-Time Interactive Media Content Through Wireless Communication Networks and the Internet.
engadget should have a roundup of all these failed patent cases, i'd like to see where all this nonsense goes.
A hub, a hub!
1. no link to patent == disappointing post
2. why isn't Apple named in the suit? why do they single out particular pieces of software as infringing? see #1
I'm suing the world for breathing.
Here is the link from google patent search:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=-OgOAAAAEBAJ&dq=6640086
Patent number: 6640086
Filing date: Sep 25, 2001
Issue date: Oct 28, 2003
Inventor: Corbett Wall
That patent... has absolutely no connection. They are going to fail, HARD.
The text specifically states that it is basically a game on your cell phone where you press buttons like you're playing an instrument and sing into the microphone while the phone plays music. That sounds JUST LIKE MARIOKART!!!
Nice and nebulous, just as a good patent should be.
Has anyone patented "Method of creating human beings..." ? ;-)
Come to think of it, there's a lot of "prior art" :P
That prior art doesn't always stop USPTO from granting patents... So your patent may be all valid.
Great. Any volunteers for the human trials of this technology?
The patent is for making music by pressing buttons on the phone and singing into it, to be delivered to someone else! Their original idea failed badly and so they are trying to throw a really, really wide net out to recoup their costs I'm guessing.
This is their attempt to drop three bananas in Nintendo's path.
If Nintendo is smart, it'll use those three shells it had saved up for a moment like this.
The length of time to read this patent (14 pages) > The length of time it will last in court
Yes, I actually took the time to read the patent - had some extra time on my hands thanks to the wonders of procrastination. I also find it amusing that karaoke systems are cited three times in the patent.
Oh, USPTO.... When will you stop granting such stupid and broad patents???
And US Corts... when will you stop this madness and mark those lawsuits frivolous and eligible for all lawyer expenses?
I can dream I guess...
Alright. So Sony has been making the PSP since March of '05 which is 4 years ago and Nintendo has been making the DS since Nov, '04 which is about 4 and a half years and they've been making the since who know how long. So this company has 4 years to look at this and now they want to come with some crap about patent infringement. Thats stupid. They won't win.
Here's what I think might be the issue. This company might be close to going down the toilet soon due to the economy and now they came up with this to make some money. Possibility.
Although I know nothing about this company and there financial status. It was just a theory.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Stupid greedy people.