Gibson Accuses Guitar Hero of Patent Violation

robipilot writes "Video game publisher Activision Inc. has asked a federal court to declare that its popular "Guitar Hero" game does not violate a patent held by real-guitar maker Gibson Guitar Corp. Gibson's 1999 patent covers a virtual-reality device that included a headset with speakers that simulated participating in a concert, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday by Santa Monica, Calif.-based Activision in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles."

Comments

Re:Crucify me, baby

[DaveV1.0]

Apparently, you are a lying asshole. I say that because you have committed lies of omission.

System of claim 1 is the primary claim. All the rest are systems they claim as part of the patent. Your little cherry picking expedition proves you are a liar.

Maybe next time you won't try to lie about things by omitting important information, but I don't it.

From the Patent:

1. A system for electronically simulating participation by a user in a pre-recorded musical performance comprising:

a. a musical instrument, the musical instrument generating an instrument audio signal at an instrument audio output, the instrument audio signal varying in response to operation of the instrument by the user of the system;
b. a video source providing a source video signal at a source video output, the source video signal representing a video portion of the pre-recorded musical performance;
c. a video display responsive to the source video signal whereby the user can view the video portion of the pre-recorded musical performance on the video display;
d. an audio source providing a source audio signal at a source audio output, the source audio signal representing an audio portion of the pre-recorded musical performance, the audio portion including an instrument sound track containing pre-recorded musical sounds that would be generated by the musical instrument in the pre-recorded musical performance;
e. a system interface device having a first audio input electrically connected to the instrument audio output, a second audio input electrically connected to the source audio output, and a first interface audio output;
f. the system interface device including a source audio control circuit responsive to the instrument audio signal, whereby a characteristic of the source audio signal is controlled in response to operation of the musical instrument by the user to provide a controlled source audio signal at the first interface audio output; and
g. an audio playback transducer responsive to the controlled source audio signal such that the user can listen to the audio portion of the pre-recorded musical performance on the transducer, in synchronization with the video portion.

2. The system of claim 1 whereby the characteristic of the source audio signal controlled by the source audio control circuit is a source audio signal level.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the musical instrument is a guitar whereby variations in striking of strings on the guitar by the user produces changes in level of the audio portion of the pre-recorded musical performance on the audio playback transducer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the system interface device further comprises an instrument audio switch responsive to the instrument audio signal level to connect the controlled source audio signal to the interface audio output only when the instrument audio signal level reaches a pre-determined threshold generated by operation of the musical instrument.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a bypass switch operable when switched to a bypass position to connect the instrument audio signal to the audio transducer such that the user can listen to the instrument audio signal while operating the musical instrument and while viewing the video portion of the musical performance.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the system interface device is further operable to suppress the instrument audio track when the bypass switch is in the bypass position.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an audio mixer operably connected between the interface audio output and the audio transducer.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the audio mixer is further operably connected between the source audio output and the first audio input on the interface device.

9. The system of claim 8 fu