Topic: How can Sony and MS legally steal Nintendo's innovations?

[Chozo Ghost]

I keep hearing about how in the future Sony and MS are going to steal the touchscreen and the Wiimote ideas that Nintendo came up with. They both have already stolen the D-Pad and Analog stick from Nintendo's previous consoles.

My question is, how can they do this? Didn't Nintendo patent these innovations? I thought a patent was good for 20 years or something like that. The D-pad is surely out of patent by now, but what about the analog stick? Companies like Immersion have sued for violating their rumble patent, but why hasn't Nintendo ever sued anyone for taking their ideas?

This is just something I don't understand. It isn't a good business decision on the part of Nintendo to allow Sony or MS to copy their wiimote in the future. Same with the touchscreen gaming...

I'm not really an expert on Patents, but I thought they worked to keep competitors from stealing your ideas. If they don't in fact work this way, then what good are they?

[S-U-P-E-R]

I'm pretty sure Nintendo didn't invent any of these things.

[Ceric]

On the D-Pad did you ever notice that none of the other companies D-Pads looked like Nintendo's?  Thats how they got around that.  On the Touchscreen side of things I don't think they can patent that for gaming because it had been done before.  On the Pointer I'm fairly sure that how Nintendo is doing it is original and they have a patent for that particular technique but there are more then one way to skin a cat and other technologies can for all intents and purpose duplicate the same results.

[BranDonk Kong]

Know what's kind of funny - Immersion sued my post is a train wreck for using their technology, and my post is a train wreck settled out of court, fast forward a few years, and now my post is a train wreck is suing Immersion for not holding up their end of the deal.

[UltimatePartyBear]

Quote
Originally posted by: Brandogg
Know what's kind of funny - Immersion sued my post is a train wreck for using their technology, and my post is a train wreck settled out of court, fast forward a few years, and now my post is a train wreck is suing Immersion for not holding up their end of the deal.

I this forum.

I'm pretty sure Gunpei Yokoi invented the D-pad as we know it, but most of Nintendo's control innovations really are examples of applying existing technology to games.  That doesn't make it any less innovative, but it does mean Nintendo doesn't have as much control over the patents as they'd need to lock out the competition.

[Chozo Ghost]

Now that I think about it, maybe this does explain why Sony's D-pad actually has the directional buttons disconnected from each other. Could that be why? In any case, I think that is kinda cheating the patent system. Slight cosmetic tweaks shouldn't allow companies to bypass patents, should they?

[nitsu niflheim]

Quote
Originally posted by: Brandogg
Know what's kind of funny - Immersion sued my post is a train wreck for using their technology, and my post is a train wreck settled out of court, fast forward a few years, and now my post is a train wreck is suing Immersion for not holding up their end of the deal.

hilarious because of the filter (which doesn't filter when you are typing and quoting someone!)

[vudu]

Quote
Slight cosmetic tweaks shouldn't allow companies to bypass patents, should they?

It's not simply a slight cosmetic tweak.  In the case of the D-Pad, Sony's works in a completely different way than Nintendo's.  They get the same end result but in two different ways.  Think of it like the difference between a jet-engine and a propeller plane; both let a heavy tube of metal fly through the air, but the mechanics are very different.

[denjet78]

Considering how screwed up the patent system is here in the US I'm all for just doing away with them all together (See the number of lawsuits against Wii for incredibly idiotic reasons). There are companies that have been created for the sole purpose of filing for pattens for already existing technology and then suing everyone over them. The system is beyond broken.

And yes, most of Nintendo's inventions have been repurposing technology from other fields for gaming. But, it's not like they don't do the actual leg work themselves, something Sony and MS never have. That's why Immersion couldn't sue them over rumble. The rumble technology they developed was their own and couldn't be connected with Immersion's designs at all. That's why all these Wii lawsuits will eventually get kicked. Nintendo actually does their own homework.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Nintendo gets a star next to its name.

[Chozo Ghost]

Quote
Originally posted by: denjet78
Considering how screwed up the patent system is here in the US I'm all for just doing away with them all together (See the number of lawsuits against Wii for incredibly idiotic reasons). There are companies that have been created for the sole purpose of filing for pattens for already existing technology and then suing everyone over them. The system is beyond broken.

I'm inclined to agree. Weren't Patents originally designed so people like Benjamin Franklin and Edison could get credit and profit for things like Bifocals and the light bulb? Nowadays we still have discoveries, but it seems like the patents are held by large companies rather than individuals, and seem to be encouraging the development of monopolies and retarded lawsuits... It needs a major overhaul, or be scrapped entirely.

It seems like you can't even break wind without violating someone's patent these days.... lol

[stevey]

Actually Benjamin Franklin never patent any of his ideas or inventions.  hmm....

On an unrelated note, I'm off to patent office

[ShyGuy]

This just in Stevey: invented Bifocals, The Franklin Stove, and the Fire Department. Case still pending on Flying-kites-in-a-storm patent.

[that Baby guy]

I know that I was the one who fostered the first American libraries, and no one can steal that achievement from me!

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
This just in Stevey: invented Bifocals, The Franklin Stove, and the Fire Department. Case still pending on Flying-kites-in-a-storm patent.

I checked. He also has a patent on electricity.

[Shift Key]

If Nintendo doesn't have a patent then its not their innovation in the first place (prior art is the legal term).  

[tiamat1990]

Nintendo could file a patent if they created the technology I think. They didn't invent touch screens, they were just the first to implement it quite successfully. I'm not too sure about the Wii. I don't think I've ever seen a pointing device...

[Shift Key]

Quote
Originally posted by: Chozo Ghost
They both have already stolen the D-Pad and Analog stick from Nintendo's previous consoles.
...
This is just something I don't understand.
...
I'm not really an expert on Patents,

Quote
Originally posted by: tiamat1990
Nintendo could file a patent if they created the technology I think.

Quote
Originally posted by: thatguy
I know that I was the one who fostered the first American libraries, and no one can steal that achievement from me!

thatguy gets mentioned because you can't invent libraries. my gut told me so.