Sony Gets It
A judge has ordered Sony Corp. to pay $90.7 million to a company that develops technology that enhances video game realism but immediately stayed an order that would halt U.S. sales of Sony's popular PlayStation consoles. San Jose-based Immersion Corp. sued Sony in 2002, saying the Japanese company violated two of its patents, using them to create tactile feedback features.A federal jury in Oakland decided in favor of Immersion in September and ordered Sony to pay $82 million in damages. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken affirmed the decision and tacked on $8.7 million in interest. Immersion claimed Sony's PlayStation products infringed on patents related to "vibro-tactile" technologies that simulate the sense of touch in videogame play. The suit specifically names the PlayStation consoles, Dual Shock controllers and 47 games.
In news releases last year, Sony claimed to have sold more than 27 million PlayStation2 consoles in the United States. Last week, they released its portable sibling -- the PSP -- and boy, do they look hot. These things might be the coolest gads since iPod.
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