Interactive Exercise Company Sues Nintendo For Patent Infringement 67
isometric writes with this excerpt from Gamasutra:
"IA Labs is accusing Nintendo of infringing on two separate IA Labs patents through technology used in the Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, the Wii Balance Board, Wii Remote, Wii Wheel, Wii MotionPlus, Wii Nunchuck and Wii Zapper. ... The patents in question are 'Computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral' and 'Force measurement system for an isometric exercise device.' The claim said that IA Labs had been in contact with Nintendo during 2007-2008, discussing possible overlaps of IA Labs and Nintendo patents. Emails between IA Labs and Nintendo showed that IA Labs wanted to license its technology to Nintendo. IA Labs was also in talks with Nintendo about a product called Sqweeze, a controller for Wii and PC that's meant to increase physical activity when gaming."
Re:But the Wii isn't isometric (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, I don't see how Nintendo could possibly be infringing. Nintendo's games aren't used for isometric exercises, the only Nintendo device that even contains strain gauges is the Balance Board—and similar force platforms have been used since before IA's patents were filed.
On the other hand, they didn't file in East Texas, so they must think they actually have a case...
Re:Prior Art? (Score:4, Insightful)
Controlling any device with a computer based in data from sensors is not inovative and should not be patentable regardless of how many adjectives are added.
wouldn't an electronic scale fit this description? (Score:2, Insightful)
You use the scale as part of your excerise, ie. to check your weight.
It requires balance, and if it's electric, it has some sort of computer (roughly) in it.
It gets it's reading by the force of your gravity on it.
Re:But the Wii isn't isometric (Score:3, Insightful)