Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo back in court over controllers.

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:45

Opinion and Analysis

The big three games console makers have just given their lawyers some time off, now it is time to push the overworked legal staff back into court to fight a new patent violation suit.

Texas based Fenner investements is suing Microsoft, Nintendo of America and Sony Computer Entertainment America over patent #6,297,751 originally filed by Lucent (now known as Alcatel-Lucent).

Gamespot is reporting on this new trip to the Bar by the fun loving trio of companies over conduct that violates the patent taken out in 1998, just when Sony brought us the Emmy award winning DualShock controller for the original PlayStation.

More details will need to emerge before the magnitude of this latest legal brawl pans out.  So far the only comment is from American Sony PR head David Karraker with a flat "We never comment on pending litigation".

So far the only details surround a perceived infraction over the use and intention to go on using a "Low-Voltage Joystick Port Interface".

Under the typical American patent laws currently in use, this description could come under months of analyses and argument before a decision is reached.  Meantime, enjoy your gaming.