Anascape, the one man patent troll outfit from Texas, will not be receiving any money from Nintendo for patent infringement concerning the Wii remote.
This is because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled today that none of Nintendo’s video game controllers infringe on any Anascape patents. The ruling is actually a reversal of a jury trial verdict in 2008 that saw the Classic Controller in violation of Anascape’s supposed patent. Today, however, we know that the Classic Controller and other Nintendo hardware are safe from harm and will remain on store shelves for some time to come.
Too bad so sad and good riddance. Nintendo press release below:
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that none of Nintendo’s video game controllers infringe on a patent asserted by Anascape, Ltd.
Nintendo had been accused by Anascape, Ltd., of infringing on U.S. Patent No. 6,906,700. The case was tried before a jury in the Eastern District of Texas in May 2008. The jury found that neither the motion-sensing Wii Remoteâ„¢ controller, nor the Nunchukâ„¢ controller, infringes on the patent. However, the jury found that the Classic Controllerâ„¢ for the Wiiâ„¢ console, and the WaveBirdâ„¢ and standard controllers for Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ did infringe on the patent. Today’s decision, however, completely reversed the jury’s findings of infringement.
“In 2008, the jury determined that the Wii Remote and Nunchuk did not infringe,” said Nintendo of America General Counsel Rick Flamm. “Today the Federal Circuit’s ruling confirmed that none of Nintendo’s controllers infringe. We appreciate that our position has been vindicated.”
For reference, the case is Anascape, Ltd. v. Nintendo of America Inc. and the citation is 2008-1500.