Nintendo gets lawsuit over the DS’s touchscreen capability

Another lawsuit against Nintendo has cropped up once again, this time over the touch-screen capabilities of the Nintendo DS. John Martin of Illinois claims that the popular handheld has infringed on his patent, that describes a electronic game device that has “an improved method of operating a touch screen.” More details in the full article!

  

Yes, patent lawsuits against big gaming companies are still alive after a short period of reprieve: John Martin, an Illinois native, sued Nintendo for allegedly infringing on one of his patents of an “electronic device game system” with its highly popular Nintendo DS. Here is part of the description of Martin’s patented device, as stated in the patent application:

An electronic game device system [which] is switchable between an amusement mode and a gaming or gambling mode and is useful for vehicles such as airplanes or boats which move geographically from jurisdictions where gambling is legal to jurisdictions where it is not…

An improved method of operating a touch screen on a CRT or ICD computer screen uses finger release as input registering… Mounting arrangements for mounting computer screens or monitors are also disclosed…

Of course, Nintendo denies infringing the patent. There is also one big snag in Martin’s claims: the Nintendo DS was released in 2004, while Martin’s patent for the gaming table (as described above) is dated on August 2005.

Apparently, Martin is also planning to serve Apple with a similar lawsuit soon, but details are not available as of this moment. Will his case hold water, however? We’ll soon find out as we get wind of any developments in the near future.

Via GamePolitics