Patents

Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,717,781: Apparatus and method for controlling clearing in a falling object game with a sequence bar

  U.S. Patent No. 7,717,781: Apparatus and method for controlling clearing in a falling object game with a sequence bar Issued May 18, 2010, to Bandai Co. Ltd. Summary: The ‘781 describes…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,717,782: Helpfulness in a virtual environment

U.S. Patent No. 7,717,782: Helpfulness in a virtual environment Issued May 18, 2010, to Leviathan Entertainment, LLC Summary: The ‘782 patent describes a video game environment where players interact with one another…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,722,048: Mini-hold ‘em games

U.S. Patent No. 7,722,048: Mini-hold ‘em games Issued May 25, 2010 Summary: Here’s one for all of you online poker fans. The ‘048 patent describes a virtual game of poker that a…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,727,064: Interactive bingo gaming system and method

  U.S. Patent No. 7,727,064: Interactive bingo gaming system and method Issued June 1, 2010, to Bally Gaming, Inc. Summary:  The ‘064 patent describes an interactive way to play a classing game…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,731,590: Creation of ranking table for competitive game

  U.S. Patent No. 7,731,590: Creation of ranking table for competitive game Issued June 8, 2010, to Nintendo Co. Ltd. Summary: The ‘590 patent describes game apparatuses that are connected in a…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,690,997: Virtual environment with formalized inter-character relationships

  U.S. Patent No. 7,690,997: Virtual environment with formalized inter-character relationships Issued April 6, 2010, to Leviathan Entertainment, LLC Summary: The ‘997 patent provides for a virtual environment where a user is…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,704,134: Game program, game device, and game method

  U.S. Patent No. 7,704,134: Game program, game device, and game method Issued April 27, 2010 Summary: The ‘134 patent describes a baseball video game on a touch screen handheld system. A…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,512,235: Multiple user authentication for online console-based gaming

  U.S. Patent No. 7,512,235: Multiple user authentication for online console-based gaming Issued March 31, 2009, to Microsoft Summary: The ‘235 patent allows multiple users to connect to an online game through…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,530,895: Method for advancing network game by group competition

  U.S. Patent No. 7,530,895: Method for advancing network game by group competition Issued May 12, 2009, to Square Enix Summary: The ‘895 patent provides for a game which includes a world…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,532,211: Image processing device and image processing method

  U.S. Patent No. 7,532,211: Image processing device and image processing method Issued May 12, 2009, to Sega Summary: The ‘211 patent allows games to have a more realistic and life-like feel…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,549,918: Golf game system and method thereof

  U.S. Patent No. 7,549,918: Golf game system and method thereof Issued June 23, 2009, to NHN Corp. Summary: The ‘918 patent provides for a golf game whereby the player can make…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 7,559,842: Game system, game control method, and recording medium for the same

  U.S. Patent No. 7,559,842: Game system, game control method, and recording medium for the same Issued July 14, 2009, to Square Enix Summary: The ‘842 patent describes a system for role-playing…

Patents
Analysis

How a “Patent Box” Could Change the U.S. Console and Game Development Industry

In recent years there has been a push from some members of Congress to introduce what is called a “patent box” into the corporate tax system in the United States.  In essence,…

Legislation Patents
Lawsuits

Wi-Fi Patent Dispute Update: Bandspeed v. Sony, et. al.

Case Update: Bandspeed, Inc. v. Sony Electronics, Inc., et. al. United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Case No: A-11-CV-771-LY, Filed Aug. 7, 2009   This case was originally…

Bandspeed v. Sony Electronics Lawsuits patent Patents
Lawsuits

New Case – P.S. Products and Billy Pennington v. Activision Blizzard, et. al.

P.S. Products and Billy Pennington v. Activision Blizzard, et. al. United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas File No: 4:13 cv 342 KGB, filed on June 5, 2013 P.S.Products…

Billy Pennington v. Activision Blizzard Design Eastern District of Arkansas Lawsuits
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. RE32,480: Electronic bingo player

U.S. Patent No. RE32,480: Electronic bingo player Issued August 18, 1987 Summary: For those out there who love playing Bingo with multiple cards, but find it difficult to keep track of all…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. RE33,662: TV animation interactively controlled by the viewer

U.S. Patent No. RE33,662: TV animation interactively controlled by the viewer Issued August 13, 1991 Summary: The ‘662 reissue patent provides for a motion picture branching method where the animation on the…

Patents
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. RE34,728: Video game difficulty level adjuster dependent upon player’s aerobic activity level during exercise

  U.S. Patent No. RE34,728: Video game difficulty level adjuster dependent upon player’s aerobic activity level during exercise Issued September 13, 1994, to Heartbeat Corp. Summary: For all you health nuts out…

Patents
Lawsuits

Case Dismissal Update: Impulse v. Nintendo et. al.

Impulse v. Nintendo et. al. United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Case No.: 11-CV-02519-JG; filed November 11, 2011   Impulse originally filed suit against Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft, THQ,…

Impulse v. Nintendo Lawsuits Nintendo Northern District of Ohio
Patent Analysis

U.S. Patent No. RE35,314: Multi-player, multi-character cooperative play video game with independent player entry and departure

  U.S. Patent No. RE35,314: Multi-player, multi-character cooperative play video game with independent player entry and departure Issued Aug. 20, 1996, to Atari Summary: The ‘314 reissue patent first allows for a…

Patents