Target Technology Company: Sony’s Blu-ray infringed our patent

 

California-based Target Technology Company has filed a suit against Sony earlier this month. The technology company is seeking “damages multiplied due to willful infringement” for alleged patent violation relating to Sony‘s current high-definition format bet, Blu-ray.

Here’s the deal: Target Technology Company‘s patent revolves around the use of certain silver-based alloys that are more resistant to corrosion than pure silver, and has the advantages that gold has. The patent was filed in April 2004, and was granted to Target during March of 2006.

That was then, this is now. Now, Target Technology Company named Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Sony Pictures, and Sony DADC in its lawsuit. Target claims that products under the Blu-ray name – this includes PS3 games and that new Blu-ray HD movie you’ve got in your closet – infringes on Target’s patent for reflective layer materials in optical discs

What’s odd about this legal action though, as pointed out by the folks at GameSpot, is that Target Technology Company didn’t specify in its suit if all manufactured Blu-ray discs infringe on Target Technology Company’s patent or just a portion of discs manufactured in certain ways.

This situation isn’t new to Sony. It can be recalled that it had to pay damages to Immersion Corporation in dispute over the rumble function in Dual Shock Controllers. Since then, the two companies moved past their former issues and there are even reports that Sony and Immersion are working on a new project that should introduce rumble technology to PS3 products.

So will this lawsuit affect Sony and the Blu-ray’s apparent success as a format in other regions? Given that Sony might also figure out a convenient way to settle this legal problem like before, it seems unlikely.

Thanks to QJ reader Spirit Hawk Leon for the tip!

 

California-based Target Technology Company has filed a suit against Sony earlier this month. The technology company is seeking “damages multiplied due to willful infringement” for alleged patent violation relating to Sony‘s current high-definition format bet, Blu-ray.

Here’s the deal: Target Technology Company‘s patent revolves around the use of certain silver-based alloys that are more resistant to corrosion than pure silver, and has the advantages that gold has. The patent was filed in April 2004, and was granted to Target during March of 2006.

That was then, this is now. Now, Target Technology Company named Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Sony Pictures, and Sony DADC in its lawsuit. Target claims that products under the Blu-ray name – this includes PS3 games and that new Blu-ray HD movie you’ve got in your closet – infringes on Target’s patent for reflective layer materials in optical discs

What’s odd about this legal action though, as pointed out by the folks at GameSpot, is that Target Technology Company didn’t specify in its suit if all manufactured Blu-ray discs infringe on Target Technology Company’s patent or just a portion of discs manufactured in certain ways.

This situation isn’t new to Sony. It can be recalled that it had to pay damages to Immersion Corporation in dispute over the rumble function in Dual Shock Controllers. Since then, the two companies moved past their former issues and there are even reports that Sony and Immersion are working on a new project that should introduce rumble technology to PS3 products.

So will this lawsuit affect Sony and the Blu-ray’s apparent success as a format in other regions? Given that Sony might also figure out a convenient way to settle this legal problem like before, it seems unlikely.

Thanks to QJ reader Spirit Hawk Leon for the tip!