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I just received a very interesting email from an exec at HillCrest Labs, the company who’s filing a lawsuit against Nintendo. It appears that the ITC has formally recognized the suit, and will begin an investigation. Here’s a excerpt from the press release:
“The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain video game machines and related three-dimensional pointing devices. The products at issue in this investigation are “Wii” video game systems and accompanying remote controls.
The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc., Rockville, MD, on August 20, 2008.”
Hillcrest Labs has also formally announced one of the companies that it had been working for. Before they were keeping a tight lid, but it seems that they were developing motion based technology for Eastman Kodak Company. The device is the Kodak Theatre HD Player which utilizes HillCrest’s HÅME and Freespaceâ„¢ for potential point-and-clicking features.
Here’s an excerpt from HillCrest’s press release concerning FreeSpace and HÅME:
“Hillcrest Labs today introduced a new HÅMEâ„¢ Reference Kit (HRK) today for companies and service providers that want to develop their own devices which utilize Hillcrest Labs’ core technologies. This complete solution “in-a-box†offers both HÅME and Freespaceâ„¢ together in a high-end set-top-box that enables developers to prototype and build digital media applications that can be controlled by pointing.
Hillcrest’s HÅME application creation software allows digital content from any source to be displayed on a television using a graphical, zoomable user interface that can be embedded in a wide range of consumer electronic devices. Hillcrest’s Freespace technology enables CE manufacturers and service providers to embed pointing and motion control into a wide range of form factors, including TV remote controls, game controllers, and PC accessories.”
Looking over the email, and press releases that HillCrest sent me, this lawsuit looks to be holding water. If they did file for the patent when they said they did, and it produces technology that’s used in the Kodak HD Player, then Nintendo might be in for some trouble.
Keep checking in for further updates on the story.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
What I don’t get is why all these companies are suing Nintendo now rather than when the Wii Remotes first came out two years ago. Same with the company that sued Nintendo over their Gamecube controller which as been out for a long time. Why did they wait? The Wii is a huge hit, Hillcrest Labs would have heard about the Wii Remote long before now, so why didn’t they file the lawsuit on the Wii Remote when it first came out?
September 18th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
there’s a simple, but sad answer to your question. Because companies are greedy and are looking for more money.
I can’t prove anything, as this is just a hunch. But I have a feeling that Hillcrest is designing motion sensoring technology for another game company. Don’t be surprised if you see a rival of Nintendo’s that has Hillcrest technology in the future.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
@ jonnyv :like the ps3 this winter, to be exact.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
It cost a lot of money to sue someone, specially if it is a big case or lots of money, so usually you good take your time analyzing your chances and how strong your patent is, I don’t think Hillcrest is a patent troll I think they are doing the right thing.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Welcome to America where if you can’t beat them, you sue them.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Sony got sued over its controllers, alot of companies have been sued over the years. Many big companies go about thinking they can do this and that. If a company can prove that another company has stolen one if it’s technologies, why should it sit back? Also, it won’t be long before Sony and Microsoft will have its own Wii style remote. Nintendo have been sued quite a few times over different things. It’s not a point of greed, it’s a point of we invented this, we think someone has stolen our idea so we’re going to do something about it.
September 28th, 2008 at 5:12 am
I’m sorry but this is so bogus. Are these people suing nintendo retarded!? Nintendo has been fiddling with motion sensor technology back since the days of the NES. If you don’t believe me go back and look at all the different devices that attempted to use a 3 Dimensional based sensor controller. The power glove comes to my mind right away.
And suing for the gamecube controller long since it’s been out? It’s a flippin gaming controller… it has buttons like any other controller, I haven’t seen any other design like it.
American suits tick me off with how freaking greedy they are. I mean the Wii wasn’t built and designed the moment it was released two years ago, it’s been in development for years. And I’m sure nintendo already had this technology long before this craptastic company.
November 30th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Screw Hillcrest Labs! If they win and all Wii players nationwide are forced to give up their Wiis, then I’ll start an angry mob towards Hillcrest Labs!
January 11th, 2009 at 2:49 am
It usually takes two years of research and fact finding to get a lawsuit up and going. As much as I love the wii, Hillcrest has a valid claim and Nintendo should have looked to see if any patents existed before even releasing the system in the US market.
In the end, I see Nintendo doling out a rather large settlement to Hillcrest and gets to continue on as if nothing has happened.
July 19th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Actually, I believe that Nintendo’s Power Glove patents in the US, which predate the plaintiff’s patents by a mile, should cover Nintendo. If you look at a Wiimote, it’s essentially a Power Glove that you hold in your hand with far better resolution and using 2 infrared beacons instead of 3.
Am I insane or does anyone else remember the Power Glove? It was basically the same tech, but just with much lower precision. Granted, the power glove didn’t have the accelerometers for motion sensing, but that part of Nintendo’s tech is not what Hillcrest is disputing.
This is a bogus claim, and if anything, Nintendo will have a claim against Hillcrest if that company dares to use their tech for games, since the Power Glove predates it by so many years.