I'm sorry guys, but while this is a great discussion, there is another more serious matter at hand. I have documents clearly stating that on October 4th, 1995 I did copyright the colour blue in all its shades. I must ask that these forums be shut down immediately and removed of all traces of blue, or else I will take legal action.
This reminds me of that Wisconsin guy who sued Netscape for making him and his family fat (From sitting on their arses all day)...and then asking for a lifetime free connection from Netsacpe plus 10 thousand dollars or something...
Seriously though, this guy should just sue God (or whatever you believe in) after all, real life is in 3D...
QuaunautThe longest seven days in history...Join Date: 2003-03-21Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<!--QuoteBegin-cshank4+Nov 2 2004, 04:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (cshank4 @ Nov 2 2004, 04:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> This reminds me of that Wisconsin guy who sued Netscape for making him and his family fat (From sitting on their arses all day)...and then asking for a lifetime free connection from Netsacpe plus 10 thousand dollars or something...
Seriously though, this guy should just sue God (or whatever you believe in) after all, real life is in 3D... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Incorrect. Real life is in 5D: Y axis, X axis, Z axis, time, and quantum energy waves. Yeah, I learned waaaaay too much in physics last year.
Oh brb guys, I'm gonna go patent patents so I can sue this ****.
<!--QuoteBegin-DR_FUZZY+Nov 2 2004, 07:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DR_FUZZY @ Nov 2 2004, 07:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> OLOLOLOL I PATENT YOUR FAEC D: <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I've already patented the patent for patetning peoples faces. Get with the times people.
I just realized these guys are amateurs, and so are you all <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Man seeks square deal, patents wheel
MELBOURNE, Australia -- A man who wanted to test the efficiency of a government department has patented the wheel, a newspaper says.
But according to The Age newspaper, he has no plan to patent fire, crop rotation or other fundamental advances in civilization.
The man, a freelance patent lawyer, was issued with an Innovation Patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device."
John Keogh wanted to prove the innovation patent system was flawed because submissions could be prepared without professional help and did not need to be examined by the Australian patent office.
The name should be changed to "Registered Innovation" to avoid confusion with standard patents, Keogh says.
"The patent office would be required to issue a patent for anything. All they're doing is putting a rubber stamp on it," the paper quoted Keogh as saying.
"The impetus came from the Federal Government. Their constituents claimed the cost of obtaining a patent was too high so the government decided to find a way to issue a patent more easily," said Keogh.
Commissioner of Patents Vivienne Thom argued small business had benefited from lower costs because a lawyer did not have to be retained.
"To obtain the patent for a wheel would require a false claim, which is a very serious matter and would certainly invalidate the patent as well as amounting to a misrepresentation on the part of the applicant and unprofessional conduct by any professional advisor," she said.
Find this article at: <a href='http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/07/02/australia.wheel' target='_blank'>http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/...australia.wheel</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
after reading the claims and a few bits from the detailed description...
yes, this actually claims something similar to modern 3d graphics production with a few key differences.
viewpoints really aren't specified, what happens is the world is moved around the camera, does the same thing. Also, the detailed description is heavily laiden with the hardware implementation, and while similar in some areas (the pixel map is the pixel buffer), this has changed quite a bit. btw, that radius bit for the movement of the world can be said to still be true, it's all in the ordering of the rotation with respect to the translation. The two spaces he was talking about has currently been expanded to practically infinitely many spaces (just frames of reference) but the same concept and winning on that will be up to the lawyers.
Really, from what little I read, it's tough to call. He might actually win... What's worse is that the companies may wish to simply settle because the court can require cessation of all use of 3d graphics imaging until the final decision. Furthermore, since Vivendi is among the sued, who knows, they might be required to hold off releasing HL2 and any other 3d games. I doubt this will happen, so long as they have a solid judge who knows how much a decision like this would effect the economy, but it could.
QuaunautThe longest seven days in history...Join Date: 2003-03-21Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<!--QuoteBegin-Dr.Suredeath+Nov 2 2004, 05:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dr.Suredeath @ Nov 2 2004, 05:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I just realized these guys are amateurs, and so are you all <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Man seeks square deal, patents wheel
MELBOURNE, Australia -- A man who wanted to test the efficiency of a government department has patented the wheel, a newspaper says.
But according to The Age newspaper, he has no plan to patent fire, crop rotation or other fundamental advances in civilization.
The man, a freelance patent lawyer, was issued with an Innovation Patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device."
John Keogh wanted to prove the innovation patent system was flawed because submissions could be prepared without professional help and did not need to be examined by the Australian patent office.
The name should be changed to "Registered Innovation" to avoid confusion with standard patents, Keogh says.
"The patent office would be required to issue a patent for anything. All they're doing is putting a rubber stamp on it," the paper quoted Keogh as saying.
"The impetus came from the Federal Government. Their constituents claimed the cost of obtaining a patent was too high so the government decided to find a way to issue a patent more easily," said Keogh.
Commissioner of Patents Vivienne Thom argued small business had benefited from lower costs because a lawyer did not have to be retained.
"To obtain the patent for a wheel would require a false claim, which is a very serious matter and would certainly invalidate the patent as well as amounting to a misrepresentation on the part of the applicant and unprofessional conduct by any professional advisor," she said.
Find this article at: <a href='http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/07/02/australia.wheel' target='_blank'>http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/...australia.wheel</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> ...um...he *can't* patent fire. I'm sorry, but Cain when he burned his brother after beating him to death still has that.
CplDavisI hunt the arctic SnonosJoin Date: 2003-01-09Member: 12097Members
heh
the sueing company gets its legal funding by threatening all the little companys and getting them to settle and the other side, (at least 8 of them) have a legal coalition to combine funding for lawyers etc.
There should be some kind of time limit for fileing complaints about patents, This guy had this patent for like twenty years before uttering a peep. Something like 5 years? That should be plenty of time to file a complaint but still stop nut jobs like this.
<!--QuoteBegin-Gwahir+Nov 2 2004, 08:30 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Gwahir @ Nov 2 2004, 08:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> the court can require cessation of all use of 3d graphics imaging until the final decision. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> /me and my house secedes from the US
<span style='color:red'><b>Please excuse me, for I am about to let some steam off.</b></span>
<!--QuoteBegin-Defiance+Nov 2 2004, 11:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Defiance @ Nov 2 2004, 11:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Good luck taking on some of the biggest game companies on the world... I mean, come on, Square-Enix? ELECTRONIC ARTS?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> That **** didn't include the even bigger companies for a reason. Microsoft has been mentioned. But then there is Nintendo and Sony.
Yeah, I seriously want to kick his freaking **** now.
I mean, abusing the patent system for his own greedy ends, and hurting us all, makes me furious. If you patent something, it is assumed that you intend to develop or innovate with it, not lay in ambush for twenty years to **** the guy who <b>is</b> developing and innovating in the ****.
I'm sure the combined lawyer force of these companies can still take out his little ****-hole operation.
<!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> C'mon, someones rips off some big **** corporation? boo-hoo.. I dont think it affects the developers. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-R A C+Nov 2 2004, 11:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (R A C @ Nov 2 2004, 11:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There should be some kind of time limit for fileing complaints about patents, This guy had this patent for like twenty years before uttering a peep. Something like 5 years? That should be plenty of time to file a complaint but still stop nut jobs like this. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> there is, you hold a patent for 20 years, it's been 16.
As far as I understand, what's been patented is the concept of having your perspective being able to be centred on one point, so that you can move the camera in any direction at a fixed distance from that point (ie, as if it were on the surface of a sphere with what you're looking at at the centre), as well as zooming in and out.
In other words, they're patenting what we commonly call "third person camera perspective", if the camera can "circle strafe" what it's pointing at. Disgusting.
What really infuriates me about patents is that it's <i>far</i> too easy to acquire patents. It's probably worst in software. But when people patent concepts that don't yet exist, or algorithms \ other software patterns whch they didn't originally invent, the whole thing goes to crap. It's bad enough that software should even be <i>allowed</i> to be patented...
I have patented <b>patents!</b> <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
In any case, isn't this sort of...too late to sue already?
EpidemicDark Force GorgeJoin Date: 2003-06-29Member: 17781Members
<!--QuoteBegin-Cold-NiTe+Nov 2 2004, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold-NiTe @ Nov 2 2004, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> C'mon, someones rips off some big **** corporation? boo-hoo.. I dont think it affects the developers. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you find it convenient to. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I can close my eyes because he sues EA, LucasArts and Vivendi <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> What did they do for you?
<!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Nov 3 2004, 05:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Nov 3 2004, 05:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Cold-NiTe+Nov 2 2004, 06:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cold-NiTe @ Nov 2 2004, 06:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Epidemic+Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Epidemic @ Nov 3 2004, 12:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> C'mon, someones rips off some big **** corporation? boo-hoo.. I dont think it affects the developers. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you find it convenient to. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I can close my eyes because he sues EA, LucasArts and Vivendi <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> What did they do for you? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Regardless of your opinion of those corporations, the reason they are being sued is cow-poo and indicates that the relevant legal system is Broken. Regardless of whether they "deserve" something bad to happen to them, having a broken legal system is a Very Bad Thing.
EpidemicDark Force GorgeJoin Date: 2003-06-29Member: 17781Members
Yeah, I'll let you fix it, after <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'll tell you how it affects you if the case is successful:
Imagine you are one of the defendants, "O'Mally McSasquatch Games". You are the publisher of games such as "Overhyped: The Game - Again, 9th Edition", "Lork: Beware Teh Shirtguns" and, of course, "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k7, GOTY".
You get sued, you lose lots of money (whether or not you deserve it, or that this is karma is not the point).
Having lost said money, you realise that there is NO WAY ON EARTH that you can spend so much on so many staff members to reskin and repackage "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k7" in time for the release of "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k8"!!!!1eleven
Mr McSasquatch is getting a little ticked by this and decides that the only way for the industry to survive is to jack the people least responsible with the bill. That is you.
In summary, if the case is successful, prices=higher.
Just as when piracy publicity is at an all time high which, in my opinion is the reason they say "0/|\G 0U|2 G@/|\3 I$ 133K3D!!!1", that is so they can then publicly announce that THIS is the reason that they have jacked the price up, and not because, y'know, they just feel like having more money
Prior art. If my understanding of patents is correct, then a patent is invalid if any examples of the patent can be found "in the wild" before the patent was filed. I would have expected such basic 3D methodology would have been applied before the patent was filed.
Someone suggested some form of statute of limitation. Does this mean that the patent owner has a set period of time before challenged potentially infringing work after said work has been released ? Or was the intentention of the suggestion that the patent should simply run out after a period of time ? If the former, then this sounds like a good idea if a start date can be agreed and the challenge cannot be held up by legal posturing. If the latter, then I would expect that some patents that are very old are still very valid.
It is interesting that Microsoft hasn't been listed given that they are the developers of Direct3D, probably the single most popular 3D API in modern gaming. I expect that the relatively simple concept of rotating viewpoints in 3D space is implemented in Direct3D, and therefore, Microsott would be the primary infringers. I can understand that no-one wants to take on the might of the Microsoft legal machine. If the DoJ can't do it without bending over and taking the shaft, then anyone else hasn't got a prayer.
Besides, Microsoft's general approach to patent infringement and intellectual property rights is to steal it anyway and then send the legal attack dogs over and overwhelm the right's owner with legal costs. And then just settle out of court for a paltry sum. Didn't they steal the doublespace technology in DOS 6.0 that later had to be taken out in DOS 6.1 due to IP rights infringement ?
Anyway, I don't expect this to be a problem. Such gross patent application reminds me of BT attempting to apply the hotlink "patent" they owned. They didn't get anywhere either.
<!--QuoteBegin-_Creep_+Nov 3 2004, 09:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (_Creep_ @ Nov 3 2004, 09:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> It is interesting that Microsoft hasn't been listed given that they are the developers of Direct3D, probably the single most popular 3D API in modern gaming. I expect that the relatively simple concept of rotating viewpoints in 3D space is implemented in Direct3D, and therefore, Microsott would be the primary infringers. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Not as far as I know. It'd be unusual for something as high-level as a circle strafing camera to be included as part of an API.
Graphics APIs are along the lines of "draw a triangle at these three points" or "rotate everything X degrees this way". This is a little bit more complicated, as it's "rotate everything such that it looks like we've moved position".
<!--QuoteBegin-Flint Paper+Nov 2 2004, 04:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Flint Paper @ Nov 2 2004, 04:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Well, maybe Lucasarts will have no other choice than a return to 2D adventure games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Well, that would be really good <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> I love 2D games, specially adventure. 2D gives you sort of a good feeling or something. Atmosphere.
Comments
Thank you.
Seriously though, this guy should just sue God (or whatever you believe in) after all, real life is in 3D...
Seriously though, this guy should just sue God (or whatever you believe in) after all, real life is in 3D... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Incorrect. Real life is in 5D: Y axis, X axis, Z axis, time, and quantum energy waves. Yeah, I learned waaaaay too much in physics last year.
Oh brb guys, I'm gonna go patent patents so I can sue this ****.
I've already patented the patent for patetning peoples faces. Get with the times people.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Man seeks square deal, patents wheel
MELBOURNE, Australia -- A man who wanted to test the efficiency of a government department has patented the wheel, a newspaper says.
But according to The Age newspaper, he has no plan to patent fire, crop rotation or other fundamental advances in civilization.
The man, a freelance patent lawyer, was issued with an Innovation Patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device."
John Keogh wanted to prove the innovation patent system was flawed because submissions could be prepared without professional help and did not need to be examined by the Australian patent office.
The name should be changed to "Registered Innovation" to avoid confusion with standard patents, Keogh says.
"The patent office would be required to issue a patent for anything. All they're doing is putting a rubber stamp on it," the paper quoted Keogh as saying.
"The impetus came from the Federal Government. Their constituents claimed the cost of obtaining a patent was too high so the government decided to find a way to issue a patent more easily," said Keogh.
Commissioner of Patents Vivienne Thom argued small business had benefited from lower costs because a lawyer did not have to be retained.
"To obtain the patent for a wheel would require a false claim, which is a very serious matter and would certainly invalidate the patent as well as amounting to a misrepresentation on the part of the applicant and unprofessional conduct by any professional advisor," she said.
Find this article at:
<a href='http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/07/02/australia.wheel' target='_blank'>http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/...australia.wheel</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
yes, this actually claims something similar to modern 3d graphics production with a few key differences.
viewpoints really aren't specified, what happens is the world is moved around the camera, does the same thing.
Also, the detailed description is heavily laiden with the hardware implementation, and while similar in some areas (the pixel map is the pixel buffer), this has changed quite a bit.
btw, that radius bit for the movement of the world can be said to still be true, it's all in the ordering of the rotation with respect to the translation. The two spaces he was talking about has currently been expanded to practically infinitely many spaces (just frames of reference) but the same concept and winning on that will be up to the lawyers.
Really, from what little I read, it's tough to call. He might actually win...
What's worse is that the companies may wish to simply settle because the court can require cessation of all use of 3d graphics imaging until the final decision. Furthermore, since Vivendi is among the sued, who knows, they might be required to hold off releasing HL2 and any other 3d games.
I doubt this will happen, so long as they have a solid judge who knows how much a decision like this would effect the economy, but it could.
This is bad.
I always did like SM3 and Tetris...
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Man seeks square deal, patents wheel
MELBOURNE, Australia -- A man who wanted to test the efficiency of a government department has patented the wheel, a newspaper says.
But according to The Age newspaper, he has no plan to patent fire, crop rotation or other fundamental advances in civilization.
The man, a freelance patent lawyer, was issued with an Innovation Patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device."
John Keogh wanted to prove the innovation patent system was flawed because submissions could be prepared without professional help and did not need to be examined by the Australian patent office.
The name should be changed to "Registered Innovation" to avoid confusion with standard patents, Keogh says.
"The patent office would be required to issue a patent for anything. All they're doing is putting a rubber stamp on it," the paper quoted Keogh as saying.
"The impetus came from the Federal Government. Their constituents claimed the cost of obtaining a patent was too high so the government decided to find a way to issue a patent more easily," said Keogh.
Commissioner of Patents Vivienne Thom argued small business had benefited from lower costs because a lawyer did not have to be retained.
"To obtain the patent for a wheel would require a false claim, which is a very serious matter and would certainly invalidate the patent as well as amounting to a misrepresentation on the part of the applicant and unprofessional conduct by any professional advisor," she said.
Find this article at:
<a href='http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/07/02/australia.wheel' target='_blank'>http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/...australia.wheel</a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
...um...he *can't* patent fire. I'm sorry, but Cain when he burned his brother after beating him to death still has that.
the sueing company gets its legal funding by threatening all the little companys and getting them to settle and the other side, (at least 8 of them) have a legal coalition to combine funding for lawyers etc.
/me and my house secedes from the US
LIVE 3D or DIE!
<!--QuoteBegin-Defiance+Nov 2 2004, 11:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Defiance @ Nov 2 2004, 11:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Good luck taking on some of the biggest game companies on the world... I mean, come on, Square-Enix? ELECTRONIC ARTS?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That **** didn't include the even bigger companies for a reason. Microsoft has been mentioned. But then there is Nintendo and Sony.
Yeah, I seriously want to kick his freaking **** now.
I mean, abusing the patent system for his own greedy ends, and hurting us all, makes me furious. If you patent something, it is assumed that you intend to develop or innovate with it, not lay in ambush for twenty years to **** the guy who <b>is</b> developing and innovating in the ****.
I'm sure the combined lawyer force of these companies can still take out his little ****-hole operation.
Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you find it convenient to.
there is, you hold a patent for 20 years, it's been 16.
In other words, they're patenting what we commonly call "third person camera perspective", if the camera can "circle strafe" what it's pointing at. Disgusting.
What really infuriates me about patents is that it's <i>far</i> too easy to acquire patents. It's probably worst in software. But when people patent concepts that don't yet exist, or algorithms \ other software patterns whch they didn't originally invent, the whole thing goes to crap. It's bad enough that software should even be <i>allowed</i> to be patented...
In any case, isn't this sort of...too late to sue already?
Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you find it convenient to. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I can close my eyes because he sues EA, LucasArts and Vivendi <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
What did they do for you?
Except that the "big corporation" did something for me. The stupid **** who is taking advantage of them now did jack **** for me, or anyone with his patent.
Or are you <i>somehow</i> benefitting from his non-existent work.
Don't forget this;<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and is threatening legal action against several smaller companies as well. Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Activision, Atari, THQ, Vivendi Universal Games, Sega, Square Enix, Tecmo, LucasArts, and Namco Hometek are all named as defendants in the case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you find it convenient to. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I can close my eyes because he sues EA, LucasArts and Vivendi <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
What did they do for you? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Regardless of your opinion of those corporations, the reason they are being sued is cow-poo and indicates that the relevant legal system is Broken. Regardless of whether they "deserve" something bad to happen to them, having a broken legal system is a Very Bad Thing.
Imagine you are one of the defendants, "O'Mally McSasquatch Games". You are the publisher of games such as "Overhyped: The Game - Again, 9th Edition", "Lork: Beware Teh Shirtguns" and, of course, "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k7, GOTY".
You get sued, you lose lots of money (whether or not you deserve it, or that this is karma is not the point).
Having lost said money, you realise that there is NO WAY ON EARTH that you can spend so much on so many staff members to reskin and repackage "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k7" in time for the release of "O'Mally McSasquatch's Generic FPS: 3k8"!!!!1eleven
Mr McSasquatch is getting a little ticked by this and decides that the only way for the industry to survive is to jack the people least responsible with the bill. That is you.
In summary, if the case is successful, prices=higher.
Just as when piracy publicity is at an all time high which, in my opinion is the reason they say "0/|\G 0U|2 G@/|\3 I$ 133K3D!!!1", that is so they can then publicly announce that THIS is the reason that they have jacked the price up, and not because, y'know, they just feel like having more money
Someone suggested some form of statute of limitation. Does this mean that the patent owner has a set period of time before challenged potentially infringing work after said work has been released ? Or was the intentention of the suggestion that the patent should simply run out after a period of time ? If the former, then this sounds like a good idea if a start date can be agreed and the challenge cannot be held up by legal posturing. If the latter, then I would expect that some patents that are very old are still very valid.
It is interesting that Microsoft hasn't been listed given that they are the developers of Direct3D, probably the single most popular 3D API in modern gaming. I expect that the relatively simple concept of rotating viewpoints in 3D space is implemented in Direct3D, and therefore, Microsott would be the primary infringers. I can understand that no-one wants to take on the might of the Microsoft legal machine. If the DoJ can't do it without bending over and taking the shaft, then anyone else hasn't got a prayer.
Besides, Microsoft's general approach to patent infringement and intellectual property rights is to steal it anyway and then send the legal attack dogs over and overwhelm the right's owner with legal costs. And then just settle out of court for a paltry sum. Didn't they steal the doublespace technology in DOS 6.0 that later had to be taken out in DOS 6.1 due to IP rights infringement ?
Anyway, I don't expect this to be a problem. Such gross patent application reminds me of BT attempting to apply the hotlink "patent" they owned. They didn't get anywhere either.
Not as far as I know. It'd be unusual for something as high-level as a circle strafing camera to be included as part of an API.
Graphics APIs are along the lines of "draw a triangle at these three points" or "rotate everything X degrees this way". This is a little bit more complicated, as it's "rotate everything such that it looks like we've moved position".
Well, that would be really good <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> I love 2D games, specially adventure. 2D gives you sort of a good feeling or something. Atmosphere.
This ought to be interesting, I hope that it gets throw out