Patent Arcade

Back in July 2006, Anascape Ltd. sued Microsoft and Nintendo over various game controller patents, including United States Patent Numbers 5,999,084; 6,102,802; 6,135,886; 6,208,271; 6,222,525; 6,343,991; 6,344,791; 6,347,997; 6,351,205; 6,400,303; 6,563,415; and 6,906,700. Microsoft settled for an undisclosed sum on May 1, apparently before trial. Nintendo, however, fought on... to no avail.

On May 14, 2008, Nintendo was ordered to pay Anascape Ltd. $21 million after a jury found that Nintendo infringed Anascape's patents with its WaveBird and Gamecube controllers for the Gamecube and Wii Classic controller for the Wii. The Wii remote and nunchuck controllers were not accused of infringement in the suit. Nintendo plans on appealing.

The case is Anascape Ltd. v. Microsoft Corp. et al., case number 9:06-cv-158 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.