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Interactive Exercise Company Sues Nintendo For Patent Infringement

Posted by Soulskill on from the blurring-lines dept.

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."

3 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. LIke the old addage (or new?) says, by Aldenissin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Those who can, do. Those whose products and marketing suck, sue!

    --
    Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
  2. those who do not know history (of computers) by ChipMonk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    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.

  3. But the Wii isn't isometric by jfengel · · Score: 4, Informative

    The remarkable, novel thing about the Wii was using accelerometers in its controller. That means you're not just applying force; you're doing so with a range of motion. That's aerobic exercise, using your own weight as the resistance.

    Isometrics are another good form of exercise, and they can be done with much simpler tools, since all you need to measure is force. But that isn't what the Wii is doing.