Interactive Exercise Company Sues Nintendo For Patent Infringement
isometric writes with this excerpt from Gamasutra:
"IA Labs is accusing Nintendo of infringing on two separate IA Labs patents through technology used in the Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, the Wii Balance Board, Wii Remote, Wii Wheel, Wii MotionPlus, Wii Nunchuck and Wii Zapper. ... The patents in question are 'Computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral' and 'Force measurement system for an isometric exercise device.' The claim said that IA Labs had been in contact with Nintendo during 2007-2008, discussing possible overlaps of IA Labs and Nintendo patents. Emails between IA Labs and Nintendo showed that IA Labs wanted to license its technology to Nintendo. IA Labs was also in talks with Nintendo about a product called Sqweeze, a controller for Wii and PC that's meant to increase physical activity when gaming."
The Amiga's "Guru Meditation Error" is derived from a balance board connected as a peripheral. IA did not have an original idea here. I strongly doubt it was original with Amiga, either.
That the criminal litigation for conspiracy to commit murder is cheaper than litigating with the patent troll. At that point all you need is a service provider - and I'm sure the Mafia is ready to chip in to help free trade :D