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Sony to pay 90.7 million for patent infringement....


Strahd

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Sure it can be true. Not only that, but it probably is true if they were found guilty in a court of law. Patent infrengement lawsuits are pretty techinical and thorough. If someone is found guilty, they are usually infringeing on someone else's patent (knowingly or not doesn't matter.)

 

They should just pony up the 90 mil and make a deal to keep selling dual-shock 2 controllers. That's the part that hurts them more than the back fees, the threat that their main controller can't be sold until this is resolved.

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The 90 mil is pocket change, this is the good part:

 

In the ruling handed down Thursday, the federal court also ordered Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Entertainment America Inc. to stop selling the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game consoles using Dualshock controllers as well as more than 40 game software products.

 

Sony = pwnd

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More on the story from Gamestop:

 

Sony, on the other hand, left the decision up to the courts, a move that appears to have cost the company a serious chunk of change. Last Thursday, United States District Judge Claudia Wilken ordered the electronics giant to pay Immersion $90.7 million in patent infringement damages. The fine stems from the $82 million awarded to Immersion by a jury's decision on September 21, 2004, plus prejudgement interest of $8.7 million tacked on last week, which Sony unsuccessfully objected to.

 

Also:

 

The Oakland, California, court also ordered an injunction stating that Sony is to immediately stop selling the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, both versions of the Dual Shock controllers, and 47 games found to use the vibration technology, including Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Gran Turismo 3. The injunction only effects sales in the United States.

 

Sony is appealing the decision and has been granted a stay of the injunction allowing it to continue to sell it's products as normal during that appeal time. If the appeal fails though and the injunction is put in place........

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Sony is appealing the decision and has been granted a stay of the injunction allowing it to continue to sell it's products as normal during that appeal time. If the appeal fails though and the injunction is put in place........

 

SURELY it wouldn't come to that. I'm betting that Sony would arrange some kind of a royalty arrangement with the patent owners rather than let their worldwide empire grind to a halt.

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Forbes.com had a article about this topic. Microsoft was very smart by settiling. They saved themselves a lot of cash and positioned themselves well

 

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Should Sony choose to settle, there may be more than one winner in the case--the other being Microsoft. In 2003, Immersion settled a similar patent-infringement case with Microsoft over its Xbox gaming system. Under terms of that settlement, Microsoft paid Immersion $20 million in cash and took a 9% equity stake, worth $6 million, in the company. It also has an option to convert a $9 million debenture into more Immersion stock.

 

Moreover, Immersion Chief Executive Victor Viegas says the settlement also includes a sub-license that allows Microsoft to cut license agreements on Immersion's technology with other companies--including Sony. Under such a deal Microsoft would share license revenue. But should Immersion settle with Sony, the latter would be obligated to pay Microsoft a minimum of $15 million. That's pocket change to a company that generates billions in cash every year, but could be viewed as a symbolic victory for Microsoft over Sony.

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