Xbox Live Sued For Video Game Communication Patent
July 2, 2009 by Ruibo
Patents are vague for two very simple reasons. One of which is to do anything and everything within the patent with no chance of lawsuit, and the other is to simply have the patent in name and sue the pants off of anyone who creates something remotely similar. The patent in this case is squarely within the second choice.
Peter Hochstein and Jeffrey Tenenbaum originally filed a patent for “communicating live while playing the same video game in separate locations” back in 1994. The early ’90s did not actually have this type of technology, but these days it’s being used extensively — and these guys want a piece of the pie.
In 2004 they initially brought suit to Microsoft and Sony over the patent — Sony settled earlier this year for an undisclosed sum, but Microsoft is refusing to budge.
Earlier this year Hochstein and Tenebaum sent a request for all marketing materials for the Xbox from Microsoft, they tossed 140,000 documents their way without any sort of index. Additionally, Microsoft held up the case for weeks in February 2009 over a single, innocent typo.
If there is any corporation in the world that can take a hit from any lawsuit, it’s Microsoft. Like most companies in a lawsit, postpone, postpone and postpone some more. As silly as this lawsuit may be, it looks like Microsoft may have to take out their fat wallets out in the end.
If you enjoy a nice long read on the legal documents, check them out here, here and here.
[Source]
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