Ohio-Based Technology Company Sues Many Over Interactive Fitness Patent

November 23, 2011

An Ohio-based technology company Impulse Technology has filed a lawsuit against multiple gaming companies for infringing on a motion-control technology patented by the group in 1996. Impulse Technology claims that companies such as Nintendo, EA, Namco Bandai, Konami, Ubisoft, and Majesco are all violating the patent, and should be fined for the infringement.

Impulse claims that these companies have violated its patent for an "interactive system for measuring physiological exertion," and that the patent clearly explains a system that measures user activity through devices attached to limbs. These "devices" then send real-time data back to help form an “interactively controlled” video sequence on a monitor.

The claim specifically names Wii Fit Plus, Zumba Fitness, Grand Slam Tennis, Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 and UFC Personal Trainer as breaking the patent, because they use a device such as the Wii Remote and Balance Board.

Impulse Technology does have a device on the market called the InterActive Fitness Machine. The company is also currently engaged in legal disputes with Microsoft over the Kinect motion sensing technology.

Source: IndustryGamers

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Comments

Re: Ohio-Based Technology Company Sues Many Over Interactive ...

Submitted by tallimar on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 20:51.

i wonder if anyone has patented breathing yet?

Re: Ohio-Based Technology Company Sues Many Over Interactive ...

Submitted by Neeneko on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 12:07.

1996 huh? Sueing for a system released in 2006?

There really needs to be a statute of limitations on these claims.

Re: Ohio-Based Technology Company Sues Many Over Interactive ...

Submitted by CyberSkull on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 20:18.

As I recall, the limitations on patents in the US is something like 17 years.

Re: Ohio-Based Technology Company Sues Many Over Interactive ...

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 12:50.

Agreed. All I'm seeing are people who come up with a vague idea and sit on it so they can sue whoever comes up with anything similar.

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DorthLous: Anybody tried Hiversaire? Thoughts?05/22/2013 - 5:48pm

E. Zachary Knight: New Humble Bundle Weekly Sale. Alan Wake: https://www.humblebundle.com/weekly No Linux or Mac support. :(05/22/2013 - 1:46pm

E. Zachary Knight: Microsoft talks about the lack of backward compatability. You're backwards. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192801/If_youre_backwards_compatible_youre_really_backwards.php05/22/2013 - 1:39pm

E. Zachary Knight: That is absolutely nuts there. As bad an experience XBox Indie Games was, the problems weren't with the self published side of things. Forcing a publisher onto independent studios is not going to help.05/22/2013 - 10:43am

MaskedPixelante: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-22-microsoft-wont-let-indies-self-publish-on-xbox-one And the hits just keep on coming.05/22/2013 - 9:20am

E. Zachary Knight: AE: You beat me to it. That's what I get for taking the night off.05/22/2013 - 7:40am

E. Zachary Knight: To continue the confused and convoluted messaging system present in EA, They are making Wii U games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192753/EA_is_working_on_Wii_U_games_after_all.php05/22/2013 - 7:33am

Imautobot: I gotta admit, I seriously believed Microsoft was going to "Bring It" with this new console. But they failed, and I think that failure might be Epic.05/22/2013 - 7:27am

Andrew Eisen: Well, the Xbox One reveal certainly had an interesting affect on the big 3's stock prices. https://twitter.com/AndrewEisen/status/33705126448977100805/21/2013 - 10:45pm

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/so-the-xbox-one-reveal-screwed-up-a-lot-of-peoples-kin-509179256 So The Xbox One Reveal Screwed With Some People's Kinects05/21/2013 - 10:36pm

Zen: On a funny side note...both of my boys have already voted NOT to get the Xbox One as soon as they found out Minecraft won't transfer lol. Some people have priorities damnit! ;)05/21/2013 - 9:27pm

Andrew Eisen: Here's the full quote on EA making Wii U games according to Neogaf: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56112105/21/2013 - 8:19pm

Andrew Eisen: Xbox One may not be always on but that doesn't mean you can use it without an internet connection. http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-50916410905/21/2013 - 7:39pm

Andrew Eisen: Polygon says EA's CFO says it is developing games for Wii U but doesn't provide that quote. http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4351844/ea-developing-wii-u-games05/21/2013 - 7:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, I was right. Both Sony and Microsoft's consoles will be out by the year's end and both will be significantly more powerful than the current gen.05/21/2013 - 5:06pm

james_fudge: thnx05/21/2013 - 4:47pm

Zen: Just to let ya know...you called it the "Xbox 260" in the backwards compatibility article lol.05/21/2013 - 4:26pm

Zen: @PHX Awesome, I will hit those up after class tonight. Going back to college finally! :) My kids have had a blast telling ME to do my homework now lol.05/21/2013 - 4:19pm

PHX Corp: @Zen I sent you a friend request on both PSN and XBL, just a heads up05/21/2013 - 4:16pm

Zen: I noticed it with the football players when EA showed off Madden as well.05/21/2013 - 4:11pm

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