Nintendo Being Sued For Glasses-less 3D Screen Technology

[heartgold]

The 3DS's must unique feature -- its glasses-free 3D display -- has gotten Nintendo sued. Tomita Technologies alleges in a lawsuit filed in a New York district court last month that Nintendo is violating a patent, number 7,417,664, which was filed for in 2003 by Seijiro Tomita and issued in August 2008.
Tomita is described in the complaint as an "accomplished scientist and engineer" who worked at Sony for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2002. He began filing for patents after leaving the company, dozens of which now exist that list him as the inventor or co-inventor.

"Mr. Tomita has done substantial research and development in the area of stereoscopic display technology. Among other things, Mr. Tomita invented and developed technology relating to displaying stereoscopic (3-D) images on-screen for viewing with the naked eye, i.e., without utilizing glasses or other devices," the lawsuit states. "The '664 patent asserted in this action covers 3-D technology invented and developed by Mr. Tomita." It also says the Japan Patent Office has granted him a similar patent to the one in question.

No specifics were cited for how the 3DS violates the patent.[/p]

Source

 

[KingVamp]

What kinda nonsense is this? Surely he can't win?

I hate it when people wait forever to say anything. This just seem like Nintendo is going to get more money.

There is noway that patent cover the 3DS.

 

[TheDreamLord]

If he does win... is nintendo fucked?

 

[Deleted member 473940]

LOLOL!
I should sue Nintendo, because I thought of the glass-free 3D back in '96!

Like wtf o.o. Whats up with all that bullshit these days -.-

 

[Raika]

If he doesnt win... is nintendo fucked?

Wait what? How is Nintendo fucked if that guy doesn't win? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

 

[Lucifer666]

That guy.. deserves to DIE

 

[Deleted member 473940]

If he doesnt win... is nintendo fucked?

Wait what? How is Nintendo fucked if that guy doesn't win? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

He probably misread or didnt quite get it lol.

 

[jan777]

Oh look! It's that time again.

This happens every time. Im wondering how come Ninty hasn't sued Sony for the Move?

I kid.

 

[nryn99]

This is hardly the first time Nintendo has been targeted by patent holders. The Wii's "trigger" got it sued back in 2006; the Wii remote itself was almost banned before the decision was overturned; another company went after the Wii remote again; and even Wii Fit has been targeted.

lol, i don't think this'll go anywhere.

 

[SamAsh07]

Guys guys guys, read the paragraph again and lookout for this line "Tomita is described in the complaint as an "accomplished scientist and engineer" who worked at Sony for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2002"

He worked at Sony, pfft. Makes sense over his allegations. Sony are like Apple, anything that exists in the market is invented by them first.

Like that "new" tech Apple is bringing on their next iPhone (which was a rumor, not sure if true though) of a curved screen, it's already present on Nexus S, they'll sue Samsung for it later. Wait for it.

 

[Jamstruth]

Its not Nintendo he should be suing. THey didn't make the glasses free screen. It was...Samsung? I think. I can't remember. THe point is that Nintendo have only bought the screen, they themselves haven't actually violated the patent.

 

[Nathan Drake]

To be fair, if he patented the specific technology used, and that technology was released without compliance after the approval of the patent, then the man has every right to sue. It is damn hard to just sue over an idea, but when there are legal patents protecting that specific idea in question, then the man can sue for all he can get if the item is used illegally.

The "herp derp he's from Sony and has no basis for what he's saying herp derp" doesn't work when he actually has a basis for his case. That Wii remote one was nearly successful too, so don't think this will just be an instant turn over either.

@Jamstruth: Then he can sue both Sharp and Nintendo for illegally marketing an item that falls under his patent if that ends up being the case.

Edit: Had to change the name of the company. :3

 

[SamAsh07]

Its not Nintendo he should be suing. THey didn't make the glasses free screen. It was...Samsung? I think. I can't remember. THe point is that Nintendo have only bought the screen, they themselves haven't actually violated the patent.

Not Samsung, as far as I can recall, it is Sharp's tech the 3DS uses.

 

[Frogman]

Spoiler

United States Patent 7,417,664
Tomita August 26, 2008
Stereoscopic image picking up and display system based upon optical axes cross-point information

Abstract
A stereoscopic video image pick-up and display system having a stereoscopic video image pick-up device including two video image pick-ups for outputting video information from the pick-ups; a stereoscopic video image display device for displaying different video images; and a medium for transmitting the video image information from the stereoscopic video image pick-up device to the stereoscopic video image display device. The stereoscopic video image pick-up device includes a cross-point measuring device for measuring CP information on the cross-point (CP) of optical axes of pick-ups and outputs information including the CP information and video image information to the medium. The stereoscopic video image display device includes an offset presetting device for offsetting and displaying different video images based upon the video image information, the cross-point information and information on the size of the image which is displayed by the stereoscopic video image display device.

Inventors: Tomita; Seijiro (Komae-shi, Tokyo 201-0015, JP)
Appl. No.: 10/475,849
Filed: March 20, 2003
PCT Filed: March 20, 2003
PCT No.: PCT/JP03/03405
371Â(1),(2),(4) Date: October 31, 2003
PCT Pub. No.: WO2004/084560
PCT Pub. Date: September 30, 2004
Current U.S. Class: 348/43 ; 348/47; 348/51; 348/E13.038; 348/E13.045; 348/E13.059; 348/E13.073
Current International Class: H04N 13/00 (20060101)
Field of Search: 348/43,47,51

 

[heartgold]

Its not Nintendo he should be suing. THey didn't make the glasses free screen. It was...Samsung? I think. I can't remember. THe point is that Nintendo have only bought the screen, they themselves haven't actually violated the patent.

Sharp

Indeed Nintendo just used the technology that sharp created.

EDIT: Beaten to it -.-

 

[spinal_cord]

The American patent/copyright system is a complete mess. If it wasn't for people using and bettering previously invented stuff, regardless of WHO invented if first, then almost non of the technology we have to would even exist. The 'legal system' will ruin all technological advances in the near future.
If you can not build on other peoples ideas, then there is no point having ideas in the first place.

 

[Youkai]

well if he rellay has the rights on it and wins against nintendo they pay him some bucks (well if he goes to court in america ninty is done for) and everything is good.
nintendo wouldn't have problems with paying some houndred thousand as long as there is no insane american court again that says give him the whole company -.-V

Spinal
you are right BUT if you were to be an inventor and you have an idea that you could even prove working and you were just lacking the funds and wouldn't find an investor it would suck if a big company would just come and steal your idea where you actually worked for and even put in money.
I think its a good thing that you can get a patent on stuff even thaught its just to much already they should sort all the junk out, who the hell needs more than 7 million patents ? most of it is bound to be shit ... they should go down to a maximum of 1 million so that its easyer to see what is already there and what now, noone can be forced to go trough all the patents before making something hopefully new

 

[Joe88]

The "herp derp he's from Sony and has no basis for what he's saying herp derp" doesn't work when he actually has a basis for his case. That Wii remote one was nearly successful too, so don't think this will just be an instant turn over either.

pretty sure 1up just put that unneeded fact in to attract fanboys
judging from the various posts in this thread and on 1up, I guess they were successful

 

[Lucifer666]

To be fair, if he patented the specific technology used, and that technology was released without compliance after the approval of the patent, then the man has every right to sue. It is damn hard to just sue over an idea, but when there are legal patents protecting that specific idea in question, then the man can sue for all he can get if the item is used illegally.

The "herp derp he's from Sony and has no basis for what he's saying herp derp" doesn't work when he actually has a basis for his case. That Wii remote one was nearly successful too, so don't think this will just be an instant turn over either.

@Jamstruth: Then he can sue both Sharp and Nintendo for illegally marketing an item that falls under his patent if that ends up being the case.

Edit: Had to change the name of the company. :3

Does this dude have the right? Yeah..
But he's still an asshole IMO. Purposely going around bothering big companies for no reason.

 

[Nathan Drake]

well if he rellay has the rights on it and wins against nintendo they pay him some bucks (well if he goes to court in america ninty is done for) and everything is good.

nintendo wouldn't have problems with paying some houndred thousand as long as there is no insane american court again that says give him the whole company -.-V

I highly doubt the man would just sue for around $100k considering the world wide profit off the 3DS so far. I would guess several million, and possibly worse depending on how far the man is willing to go in his case. I don't care to look at the name. :3

Edit: No reason? He has all the reason he needs.