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vaio on 21 July 2009

Microsoft patents drop-in split-screen

Microsoft now owns the patent covering split-screen seamless drop-in and drop-out co-op.

Patent 7,559,834 (spotted by Kotaku) refers to you "dynamically" joining or leaving an "in progress" game, "Without the players having to save and restart."

When you join, the patent adds, you are assigned as a squad member and the "screen is split to present a viewing panel" for you. And when you leave, the AI takes the reins and the screen is "un-split" to become whole again.

The patent refers to a "squad-based shooter" and is adorned with sketches that appear to be from Xbox game Brute Force.

Microsoft has yet to comment.



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FilaBrasileiro on 21 July 2009

So warhawk (a 2007 game) is violating this patent?



SmokedHostage on 21 July 2009

Halo?



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FreeTalkLive on 21 July 2009

This would never hold up.



 

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ph4nt on 21 July 2009

I'm sure Nintendo holds some sort of patent for the system used in Mario Galaxy where a 2nd player could jump in and out anytime they wish without interruption.



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slowmo on 21 July 2009
FilaBrasileiro said:
So warhawk (a 2007 game) is violating this patent?


If they had the same system already then they should have attempted to get their patent through too, there is plenty of evidence through history of people patenting products others have done a lot of work on.  Sitting on your hands doing nothing is no excuse for letting a patent opportunity slip.



FreeTalkLive on 21 July 2009

It doesn't matter slowmo. The patent wouldn't hold on, anyway. I'd be shocked if some European court didn't rule in favor of Sony or Nintendo if MS sued them. Heck, even when MS doesn't do anything wrong it loses cases in Europe.



 

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Aion on 21 July 2009

Wasn't that promised in Fable II?



 

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Barozi on 21 July 2009
ph4nt said:
I'm sure Nintendo holds some sort of patent for the system used in Mario Galaxy where a 2nd player could jump in and out anytime they wish without interruption.

But SMG doesn't use splitscreen, does it ?



ymeaga1n on 21 July 2009
slowmo said:
FilaBrasileiro said:
So warhawk (a 2007 game) is violating this patent?


If they had the same system already then they should have attempted to get their patent through too, there is plenty of evidence through history of people patenting products others have done a lot of work on.  Sitting on your hands doing nothing is no excuse for letting a patent opportunity slip.

Brute force came out in 2003. I don't understand what you mean. Patents aren't always handed out to the first company to us the technology. If a company can prove that it was using the technology before it was patented to another company, the patent will not hold up in court.

But seeing how I don't remember any ps2 games or wii games with such technology in before MS did in 2003. Why wouldn't it hold?....FreeTalkLive that questions for you.