Microsoft is no stranger to lawsuits, facing a number over the years – mostly over Windows. These have cost the company hundreds of millions in penalties alone, and they now face yet another serious lawsuit – although this time it’s over Kinect.<\/p>\n
An Ohio-based company, Impulse Technology, is claiming that it created the Kinect technology first, and has multiple patents to show for it. They claim that their patents cover “a wide variety of games where the movement of a player is tracked in three dimensions…and certain exercise games where the motion of the player is tracked to effect movement of a virtual avatar, and the exertion of the user is monitored, including where the tracking of the player is done by the use of a camera.” In other words, pretty much everything the Kinect does.<\/p>\n
It’s not just Microsoft that is in hot water either, a number of big name publishers have also been named as defendants in the lawsuit, including EA, Konami and Sega. They’re being sued due to the fact that they have made games for the Kinect, which Impulse claims also violate their patents.<\/p>\n
Microsoft is yet to comment at the moment, but these are serious claims by Impulse. If the case is successful, it would be difficult to see a way in which Microsoft could continue to sell the Kinect, and the games that support it.<\/p>\n
Impulse is seeking a permanent injunction, damages, treble damages, interest, attorneys’ fees and costs. If Impulse have a real case, Microsoft could be shelling out a big payment – “treble damages” sounds like a lot.<\/p>\n