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Sony ordered to suspend Playstation sales

March 28, 2005 at 09:19 AM

This is utter and complete BS, but what's new?

Playstation 2 system and the offending controllers

Because Immersion Corp. patented the general idea of using computer controlled vibrating motors, Sony has been ordered to pay them $90.7 million and stop selling the Playstation and Playstation 2. I'm not sure why they have to stop selling the systems (pending an appeal of course), maybe just because the Dual Shock vibrating controllers are included. Hopefully Sony will be able to sell them as soon as they pay the fine or remove the controllers.

My phone vibrates when I get a call, do I have to stop using it too?

When are we going to stop with this crap? Letting people patent vague concepts and general ideas is ridiculous. I have the idea that our MP3 players should be able to take SIM cards and be used as cellphones. About to work out? Quickly take the card out of your phone and pop it into your iPod. Your headphones would include a microphone, your phone book is now available through the menu, and when there is an incoming call your music stops and the call takes over. Can I patent that? When Apple or Sony Ericsson make something that even remotely does that in a year or two, I expect to see some royalty checks rolling in. Or else.

The purpose of technology patents is to encourage invention, not to stymie it by allowing people to force others to pay up if something remotely uses something their vague idea included.

Posted in Web/Tech | 1 Comments | Add yours

Comments

1 rhackett said...

Well said. Now all you have to do is patent it.

Posted on March 31, 2005 at 06:26 PM