They both have claims to the abandoned (not patented) application from November 1995. The parent information is found by scrolling past the references cited and other references and right before the claims.
Also, the only things enforceable in a patent are the CLAIMS.
Furthermore, patent publications are of no consequence. I've seen some slashdotters get all riled up about crazily written broad applications, but almost never does a patent make it through the process of becoming a patent without some moddification.
Anyway here's the first independent claim of the jukebox patent
We Claim: 1. A music jukebox configured for storing a music library therein, said music jukebox comprising: a housing; an audio data receiver arranged to receive audio data from outside the housing; audio output structure located at least partially within the housing for outputting audio signals; data storage memory in the housing for storing audio data received from outside the housing through the audio data receiver, said music jukebox including a user interface comprising a display device located at least partially within the housing, said display device providing a display which is viewable from outside the housing, and a plurality of manually operable function controllers on the housing, said music jukebox configured such that a music library of sound tracks is storable in digital form in the data storage memory as a result of audio data being received from outside the housing through the audio data receiver, said music jukebox configured such that said music library is organizable into a master song list and at least one group of sound tracks wherein each group comprises at least one sound track selected from the master song list, wherein said music jukebox is configured such that indicia of said master song list and indicia of at least one group of sound tracks are displayable on said display, wherein said music jukebox is configured such that said plurality of manually operable function controllers is useable to select a group of sound tracks stored in the data storage memory and operate the music jukebox such that said music jukebox outputs audio signals through said audio output structure.
Was this done before July of 97?
I don't know, but I just wanted to help give some understanding of the US patent system... I hope it helps.
Slashdot Mirror
The patents named actually have priority claims back to November of 1995, so the Rumble Pack came out after (assuming 1996, as you say).
6,424,333 & 6,275,213
They both have claims to the abandoned (not patented) application from November 1995. The parent information is found by scrolling past the references cited and other references and right before the claims.
The patents were filed in 2000, but they have priority claims of continuations upon continuations. This means that the abandoned (it's not a patent) application has everything that's claimed in the new patents '333 and '213. So prior art needs to be found before Nov. 30, 1995, preferably 1 year prior to that to have anything over these. Also the '333 patent, specifically talks about a graphical/force feedback relationship. Links to patents: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PT O1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm &r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,424,333.WKU.&OS=PN/6,424,333&RS =PN/6,424,333
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PT O1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm &r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,275,213.WKU.&OS=PN/6,275,213&RS =PN/6,275,213
There probably is something out there, I don't remember arcade timelines.
Now IANAL, but I believe the US patent law give benefit to the first to file, or the first to invent, which is not always known until litigation.
T O1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm &r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,587,403.WKU.&OS=PN/6,587,403&RS =PN/6,587,403
This http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=P
patent has benefits reaching back to July of 1997.
Read the Related Application info.
Also, the only things enforceable in a patent are the CLAIMS.
Furthermore, patent publications are of no consequence. I've seen some slashdotters get all riled up about crazily written broad applications, but almost never does a patent make it through the process of becoming a patent without some moddification.
Anyway here's the first independent claim of the jukebox patent
We Claim:
1. A music jukebox configured for storing a music library therein, said music jukebox comprising: a housing; an audio data receiver arranged to receive audio data from outside the housing; audio output structure located at least partially within the housing for outputting audio signals; data storage memory in the housing for storing audio data received from outside the housing through the audio data receiver, said music jukebox including a user interface comprising a display device located at least partially within the housing, said display device providing a display which is viewable from outside the housing, and a plurality of manually operable function controllers on the housing, said music jukebox configured such that a music library of sound tracks is storable in digital form in the data storage memory as a result of audio data being received from outside the housing through the audio data receiver, said music jukebox configured such that said music library is organizable into a master song list and at least one group of sound tracks wherein each group comprises at least one sound track selected from the master song list, wherein said music jukebox is configured such that indicia of said master song list and indicia of at least one group of sound tracks are displayable on said display, wherein said music jukebox is configured such that said plurality of manually operable function controllers is useable to select a group of sound tracks stored in the data storage memory and operate the music jukebox such that said music jukebox outputs audio signals through said audio output structure.
Was this done before July of 97?
I don't know, but I just wanted to help give some understanding of the US patent system... I hope it helps.