Re: [Algorithms] pissing in the well [was: Collision detection pa tent]

[Stephen J B. <sj...@li...>]

On Wed, 16 Aug 2000, gl wrote:

> > A practical example is Atari's patent on 'ghost cars' in racing games,
> which is still actively enforced.
> 
> I never knew they patented that!  Amazing... and scary.  Does anyone have a
> link to this one?
 
There is a story from back when the 'PACman' lawsuits were being bounced around
and *everyone* with a pacman clone was being sued (rightfully in that case
I think).

Philips were one of the people being sued - and during the first meetings
on the subject, they dug out an old Magnavox patent that effectively covers
all synthetically generated video images used for the purposes of games playing.

The lawsuit was hastily dropped.

Evidently that's one patent that they never try to enforce - but it is evident
that they do employ it defensively.

  :-)

Be VERY afraid!

Steve Baker                      (817)619-2657 (Vox/Vox-Mail)
L3Com/Link Simulation & Training (817)619-2466 (Fax)
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