LonestarInventions

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  • Lonestar sues Nintendo over Wii capacitor design

    by 
    Conrad Quilty-Harper
    Conrad Quilty-Harper
    06.18.2007

    A Texas-based company called Lonestar Inventions has sued Nintendo, claiming that the company copied one of Lonestar's patented capacitor designs and used it in the Wii. As is usual with intellectual property related lawsuits, there's a fair degree of shady business surrounding the lawsuit. For one, Lonestar didn't contact Nintendo before filing, and hasn't told the company precisely which capacitor breaches the patent holder's rights. For two, Lonestar has apparently sued other companies -- including Kodak and Freescale -- in recent times, in a similar style. It's probably not a coincidence that Lonestar's offices are located in an Austin law firm, either. Yet more evidence that the patenting system is well and truly messed up.[Via Wall Street Journal (Paid Subscription Required)]