By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Lawsuit filed against Nintendo over Switch’s detachable controllers

deskpro2k3 said:
Nuvendil said:

Ok that's actually not what happened, at all.  Samsung were and remained to my knowledge at war over a large number of software and hardware patents.  In the course of the trials, Apple secured a limited time ban on the sale of 2 Samsung tablets in Germany and Australia on the basis they looked too much like iPads.  

Thing is, 1) this only worked because they were already in a heated, legitimate battle, 2) this was very limited, and 3) the implication of stealing sales by confusing customers can only fly if you A) have actual sales prospects and B) your product and the other one look nearly identical.  This situation is not comlarable in any capacity 

 

the jury bought into Apple's copying claims, particularly around the iPhone, not so much for the iPad;  Apple's claims over rectangles with rounded corners, and technology that is similar with Samsung. Ya nah, I'm not going to debate over this, i just post what I see on forbes. It's either you're right or Forbes is wrong or vice versa.

What part of that Forbes article dealt with curves?



Around the Network
fatslob-:O said:
Nuvendil said:

That's not how it works.  See the Tesla bulb circa 1893.

That's exactly how it works ... 

Just because your product offers other functionality does not mean you are not infringing on a patent ... 

Being a superset is not subject to the denial of persecution ...

Bro, detachable controllers have existed since the Gameboy days. They have no case. They're greedy people, that's all.



"The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" - Thoukydides

Alkibiádēs said:

Bro, detachable controllers have existed since the Gameboy days. They have no case. They're greedy people, that's all.

Cite your sources then ... 



fatslob-:O said:
Nuvendil said:

That's not how it works.  See the Tesla bulb circa 1893.

That's exactly how it works ... 

Just because your product offers other functionality does not mean you are not infringing on a patent ... 

Being a superset is not subject to the denial of persecution ...

No, it is not.  It's far more complicated then that.  It comes down to what the patent specifies.  In the case I mentioned, both the Tesla Bulb and Edison Bulb served the exact same function.  But because Edison was overly specific with his patent, Tesla was able to get by it by making modifications to the design, especially where the plug is concerned.  And if your patent is too vague so as to try and control an entire general concept, it will usually not be granted and if granted can be invalidated in a trial if you try to abuse it.  Patent law is a nuanced thing.



fatslob-:O said:
Alkibiádēs said:

Bro, detachable controllers have existed since the Gameboy days. They have no case. They're greedy people, that's all.

Cite your sources then ... 

Yes, this was a real thing and yes you put the Gameboy in there and yes it's total crap. ;) 



"The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" - Thoukydides

Around the Network
sc94597 said:

Patents like this are ridiculous. The products aren't even in competition. The whole point of patents, as proposed by those who support them, is that it will reward those who make the product by securing them a temporary monopoly on its production. Please somebody, support the justification for this? What damages has Nintendo caused Gamevice by releasing the Switch with detachable controllers? If I were Nintendo's lawyers, I'd focus on the non-existent damages. There is not a single person in the world who said, "I was going to buy a Wikipad, but Nintendo released the Switch so I am going to get that instead." Seriously... 

I agree completely, they are in different markets, Nintendo is in no way damaging or competing with these guys and it's a pretty lame case. There's also the part where Nintendo's controllers are completely removable, whereas gamevices are attached to each other via a bridge. That is a huge difference in design.

 

This must be really frustrating for Nintendo because literally every feature that is on every controller nowadays was a concept originally developed by Nintendo.



NNID: Dongo8                              XBL Gamertag: Dongos Revenge

Alkibiádēs said:
fatslob-:O said:

Cite your sources then ... 

Yes, this was a real thing and yes you put the Gameboy in there and yes it's total crap. ;) 

It's in no way similar to this.  The handboy whatever it is called is an accessory that adds screen elumination, more speakers/sound and a modified extension to the controls. 



ArchangelMadzz said:
This happens all the time.

Although I recently learned that Nintendo got Sued by a Sony employee who owned the patent they used for Glasses-free 3D screens. He wont the case and got just over 1% of all earned from 3DS sales.. ie. He got a lot of money.

He didn't. Nintendo ended up winning the case in March 2017.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/20/federal-appeals-court-upholds-nintendos-win-in-3ds-patent-battl/



Aeolus451 said:
Alkibiádēs said:

Yes, this was a real thing and yes you put the Gameboy in there and yes it's total crap. ;) 

It's in no way similar to this.  The handboy whatever it is called is an accessory that adds screen elumination, more speakers/sound and a modified extension to the controls. 

So just like those smartphone and tablet controllers then. 



"The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" - Thoukydides

Alkibiádēs said:
Aeolus451 said:

It's in no way similar to this.  The handboy whatever it is called is an accessory that adds screen elumination, more speakers/sound and a modified extension to the controls. 

So just like those smartphone and tablet controllers then. 

No, it added actual game physical controllers to them. The control interface on tablets and smartphones is a touchscreen. The detachable controllers for the switch look just that company's controllers in appearance and they are very close in design.