Nintendo wins case against alleged ‘patent troll’

Companies that create innovative products can often find themselves on the receiving end of patent lawsuits. This is where a Phoenix small business attorney can help.

Video game company Nintendo, makers of the popular Wii and the newly released Wii U systems, recently won a patent infringement case launched by what it calls a "patent troll," according to an article on Nintendo Life.

California firm IA Labs alleged that Nintendo's Wii Balance Board violated the company's intellectual property, arguing that it resembled a patented rowing machine.

The Balance Board is a Wii accessory that Nintendo created for use primarily with the game Wii Fit, which encourages players to engage in a series of monitored exercises. The Balance Board is pressure-sensitive—it can weigh players who stand on it and sense how they are positioning themselves.

In March 2012, the IA Labs case against Nintendo was rejected without a jury, Nintendo Life reported. However, the company later appealed the ruling.

Following the second rejection of this case, IA Labs will be ordered to pay Nintendo $236,000 in attorneys' fees.

"We are very pleased with the court's decision," Richard Medway, Nintendo of America's deputy general counsel said in a statement. "Nintendo has a long history of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others. We also vigorously defend patent lawsuits, like the IA Labs lawsuit, when we firmly believe that we have not infringed another party's patent."

In the past, this blog has discussed the problems that "patent trolls" present legitimate companies. With the help of a Phoenix small business attorney, companies can protect themselves against costly lawsuits without fear of having their operations disrupted.

Categorised in: Litigation

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