Microsoft Facing Lawsuit Over Kinect Technology

[exfileme]

There's a company calling patent infringement, wanting the ban of Kinect sales and a letter of acknowledgement from Microsoft. Good luck with that.

Microsoft Facing Lawsuit Over Kinect Technology : Read more

 

[BoredErica]

Stop suing everybody. Jesus.

 

[slabbo]

Oh boy, need more details on that patent to see if they really infringed on it. I'm pretty sure MS patented Kinect too. They (patent office) really need to double check patents to make sure they don't overlap with each other before they give them out. So why are there 2 patents out there with the same things? I also wouldn't be shocked if MS did infringe and went ahead with Kinect anyway.

 

[memadmax]

This doesn't surprise me one bit, except the fact that its prolly some fly by night company that doesn't do anything but hold patents *instead* of apple...

 

[Thunderfox]

Patenting random combinations of concepts should not be legal. Isn't there supposed to be some sort of rule against patenting obvious things? It seems obvious that AI would be used in toys, and it seems obvious that facial recognition would be used in anything that uses AI.

If this company patented this in 2006, why have they not released an actual product by now? Are they even in the business of making anything, or are they just another patent holding company that needs to be outlawed?

 

[A Bad Day]

[citation][nom]slabbo[/nom]Oh boy, need more details on that patent to see if they really infringed on it. I'm pretty sure MS patented Kinect too. They (patent office) really need to double check patents to make sure they don't overlap with each other before they give them out. So why are there 2 patents out there with the same things? I also wouldn't be shocked if MS did infringe and went ahead with Kinect anyway.[/citation]

It's going to be interesting if there are two conflicting patents. Hehe.

 

[timaishu]

Did this company actually make something utilizing the patent? Is so, then maybe they have a case. If not, they need to stfu.

 

[ankaj]

Anyone know if there is a real website for them? A quick google search brought up a facebook page, and mention of them on a business site, but other than that nothing except them vs microsoft.

 

[livebriand]

[citation][nom]ankaj[/nom]Anyone know if there is a real website for them? A quick google search brought up a facebook page, and mention of them on a business site, but other than that nothing except them vs microsoft.[/citation]
http://ivs-biometrics.com/ (from their FB page)

 

[esrever]

There need to be some laws against this kind of BS. Patents like these need to be implemented and technical or else you'd just have a counter progress system. Im not sure who holds the patent for making patents but that person really should just sue all these people.

 

[gilgamex]

[citation][nom]slabbo[/nom]Oh boy, need more details on that patent to see if they really infringed on it. I'm pretty sure MS patented Kinect too. They (patent office) really need to double check patents to make sure they don't overlap with each other before they give them out. So why are there 2 patents out there with the same things? I also wouldn't be shocked if MS did infringe and went ahead with Kinect anyway.[/citation]

Are you aware of just how many patents exist? It's a vast vast world of patents, I'm inclined to think that it is highly likely to infringe a patent without even meaning to. And to think of how hard it is to organize such a diverse and specifically worded world of patents seems brain hemmoraging just to think about let alone accomplish. Though I'm not citing this as the reason but just a rebuttal to that thinking in general

 

[ddpruitt]

Whatever happened to the "reduction to practice" part of filing. Not only is the patent system broken but they don't even follow their own rules when letting these things slip through.

 

[EnFission]

Had they filed the complaint 2 months after Kinect's release, and the patent was valid and applicable to Microsoft's implementation, I could see there being a case. However they have waited 2 years, and now there are several software developers out there that base their coding around Kinect. This would only hurt the entire industry for the sake of one greedy little company.

 

[technoholic]

what is this with us patenting system? i read everywhere lawsuits about patent stuff. if that patent system is open for any kind of idea, it has a huge potential for abusing too

 

[the1kingbob]

If I remember correctly.. A company approached MS with the kinect technology. I have a hard time believing they didn't approach without a patent in hand. As mentioned by others, I think their time has passed. It isn't like the kinect is some small thing that was kept quite, they should have filed a complaint over a year and a half ago.

 

[elevatorlaissez15]

I could see there being a case. However they have waited 2 years, and now there are several software developers out there that base their coding around Kinect. This would only hurt the entire industry for the sake of one greedy little company. http://goo.gl/inbnz

 

[belardo]

[citation][nom]dark_wizzie[/nom]Stop suing everybody. Jesus.[/citation]
Jesus is dead... don't think he had a lawyer.

 

[nocteratus]

[citation][nom]dark_wizzie[/nom]Stop suing everybody. Jesus.[/citation]

It reminded me of an old south park episode where everybody was suing everybody!

 

[Cazalan]

"Animated Toy Utilizing Artificial Intelligence and Facial Image Recognition,"

Kinect isn't an Animated Toy. It's a motion capture device.

Facial image recognition is far from unique. Microsoft would have to copy their implementation very closely to be applicable. Webcam software has been doing that for 10+ years.

Microsoft had no reason to respond.

 

[billgatez]

Good luck suing. MS easy has the power to make these guys go away.

 

[TheViper]

[citation][nom]billgatez[/nom]Good luck suing. MS easy has the power to make these guys go away.[/citation]

I don't know about that. These guys are the people behind all of the DoD's bio-interface and bio-security development.

MS may have an incredibly expensive legal team but these guys have the US government as their main client. I don't think you can just make them go away.

 

[NuclearShadow]

[citation][nom]slabbo[/nom]Oh boy, need more details on that patent to see if they really infringed on it. I'm pretty sure MS patented Kinect too. They (patent office) really need to double check patents to make sure they don't overlap with each other before they give them out. So why are there 2 patents out there with the same things? I also wouldn't be shocked if MS did infringe and went ahead with Kinect anyway.[/citation]


This is sadly impossible with so many patents and on unspecific so many of them are the patent office is incapable of making sure things like this don't happen. Instead it is the responsibility of product makers to make sure they do not violate one in the endless sea of patents. This is of course impossible to do.

The patent system was a working and well formed system when it was created but it's old methods no longer work in modern times. Those of the late 1700's could of never imagined the amount of patents that have been filed and where technology has gone. The system is simply broken at this point and needs to be remade from the ground up.

 

[Guest]

Kinect doesn't use "facial" recognition. It recognizes individual points in 3D space. The resolution really isn't good enough to recognize a face or it's expressions at normal distance usage.
Pick me for the jury.

 

[dalethepcman]

When a patent troll poses a lawsuit against Microsoft, they deserve to have the Mexican cartel's arrive, hold them hostage, and finish their drug smuggling tunnel into the office. Which inevitably will happen....

 

[nieur]

I think there should be new department in patent office which will provide the service of checking the requested device beforehand whether it infringes any patent or not. Once it is cleared by them no one should be allowed to sue that device.