Activision files virtual worlds patent countersuit against Worlds Inc
Activision recently filed a countersuit against Worlds Inc over two patents related to virtual world interactions. The lawsuit is in response to one filed by Worlds Inc against Activision on March 30 regarding its patent "System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space."
The two Activision-owned patents in question, "Navigation with optimum viewpoints in three-dimensional workspace interactive displays having three-dimensional objects with collision barriers" and "Climability: property for objects in 3-D virtual environments" are included in Worlds Inc software called "Worlds Player," Activision alleged.
Worlds Inc settled one suit against NCSoft in April 2012 after citing similar patent infringement in its games. As of March 2012, the software developer's news site noted that it has been awarded six patents in the United States related to virtual worlds, and it also holds one "'notice of allowance' for a seventh patent for multi-server technology for 3D applications."
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Activision Publishing Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Worlds Inc. and Worlds Online Inc.
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Activision Publishing, Inc., a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Worlds Inc. and Worlds Online Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
In the suit, Activision claims that Worlds has infringed, and continues to infringe, U.S. Patent No. 6,014,145 entitled "Navigation with optimum viewpoints in three-dimensional workspace interactive displays having three-dimensional objects with collision barriers" and U.S. Patent No. 5,883,628 entitled "Climability: property for objects in 3-D virtual environments." The contested product is software distributed by Worlds called "Worlds Player."
Worlds Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, Inc., Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Activision Publishing, Inc. on March 30, 2012. That lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.
