Nintendo Found Guilty of 3D Technology Patent Infringement

joshuaboy · March 2013

Federal jury says Nintendo used 3D display technology without authorization.

A federal jury has found powerhouse publisher and developer Nintendo guilty of infringement upon an inventor’s 3D display technology patent with the Nintendo 3DS.

As reported by Reuters, the technology, which provides 3D images without the need for 3D glasses, was invented by former Sony employee Seijiro Tomita. Tomita sued Nintendo for patent infringement in 2011 and has been awarded $30.2 million in damages after a successful legal battle.

The defense attorney representing Nintendo, Scott Lindvall, argues that the Nintendo 3DS doesn’t use the key aspects of Tomita’s patent.

Nintendo of America provided IGN with the following statement about the verdict:

"A jury awarded $30.2 million in damages to Tomita Technologies in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Tomita against Nintendo. The Tomita patent did not relate to the 3D games playable on the Nintendo 3DS. The trial was held in U.S. District Court in New York before Judge Jed Rakoff.

Nintendo is confident that the result will be set aside. The jury's verdict will not impact Nintendo's continued sales in the United States of its highly acclaimed line of video game hardware, software and accessories, including the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo has a long history of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others."