Nintendo Sued To Stop Importing Wii To U.S.

Vasanth Sridharan | August 20, 2008 2:30 PM

wii-kids.jpgNintendo's already been on the short end of one patent infringement suit for of its Wii game controllers -- but that one only cost the company $21 million. Its latest suit, filed by Rockville, Md.-based Hillcrest Labs, could have a more severe outcome: If things go Hillcrest's way, Nintendo might have to stop importing the bestselling Wii to America.

hillcrest-loop.jpgHillcrest claims that Nintendo is infringing on four patents it owns – three of which are related to the Wii’s motion-sensitive controller, and the fourth related to graphical interfaces that are displayed on a TV screen.

Who's Hillcrest? The company behind "The Loop," a Wii-like remote control that they've been trying to get consumer electronics companies to license -- very popular at trade shows, but not something you'll find in anyone's living room yet.

The company holds 29 patents in this area worldwide, and says it's filled for more than 100 related patents. The first product to come out using their technology is the $150 Logitech Air floating mouse; the company promises its tech will also be offered in a home entertainment system later this year.

See Also:
Don't Mess With East Texas! Nintendo Loses A $21 Million Patent Suit
Nice Work, TiVo, But Here's The TV Remote We Want: No Remote
Next-Gen Remote Control Maker Hillcrest Labs Raises $25 Million

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17 Comments

Joe said:
Hillcrest has a product evidently nobody wants or needs, and a bunch of patents. Nintendo has a wildly successful product, and a mountain of cash. The U.S. government has a ridiculously outdated, backwards patent system.

How inevitable.
EPS said:
What I always wonder is, why wasn't this lawsuit filed sooner? I mean, the Wii has been out for several years now, and it's motion sensing capabilities have been very common knowledge... Is it just delays in the legal process?

At least this company seems to actually have a product on the market that uses the technologies, unlike some other patent claimants.
Daniel said:
Personally, i think that Hillcrest and Anaspace just need to leave Nintendo alone. These two companies may own patents for these motion-sensing products, but how many "motion-sensing" products came out before the Wii? Or, how many products have these companies released? True they own the patents, but what do they have to show for it?
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
-Shakespeare

Technology Patent Law, especially related to gaming really confuses me. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have all been sued by all kinds of companies, saying they infringed on patents. And what products and/or services did the plaintiffs of these suits offer the world? Oh yeah, that's right, none. For Great Justice...
me said:
you guys need to get off nintendo's d**k... It doesn't matter what these other companies have to show for their pattents. if THEY came up with and built the technology, then THEY should get control over how it's used... some patent laws might be outdated, but I think that general idea of protection is still valid. I love the wii too, and I'm sure it's better than any of those company's products, but if nintendo used their technology, then they need to pay for it. I don't know about you, but if I came up with an idea or technology and took the time to protect it, I would be pretty pissed if someone else took it and made millions of dollars using it, and I got nothing.
Sheldon Irving said:
If a company comes and then steels your idea, then ya thats wrong.

But if by some fluke a company happens to invent an idea that is similar, what is wrong with that?


The world is a big place. Chances are that everyone has the same ideas. Why should one small guy disctate how his idea is uses if he came out with his idea 1 second before the other company?

The idea of motion sensors are not a big idea. I can make one in my sleep. But then again these a-holes might sue me for it, even though I never even knew they existed before and not even aware how to build these so called motion sensors(how other people build them). But I have a good mind. And I can visualize how to build one.

Patent laws such ass.

If you have a good idea, try to market it the best you can. Or sell it to someone. But don't blame another company that lives across the seas if you products doesn't do well. Marketing a Product/ and or Idea is just as much of the product as the product. You can have one without the other.

I never seen one of those wierd controllers being sold. And I deal with a lot of computer parts and accessories.

If the WII never existed, I would still not see Hillcrest products.

The WII has been under development for years and years before it came out. Nintendo just doesn't wing/rush things. They make sure their product is a good product before they sell it. THey knew what they were getting involved with before they started. And the motion sensor idea wasn't a big thing at the time. Its only since nintendo came out with the WII, that our eyes are now open to motion sensors. So if anything Nintendo opened the Door to Hillcrest. So Hillcrest owers Nintendo for opening up the door for their ass.

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