Nintendo to pay $30.2M for infringing 3D tech patent

By Tim G. Villasor

Published March 14, 2013 9:15pm

Looks like trouble is brewing over at Mario World, as Japanese consumer electronics company and video game maker Nintendo was found guilty of infringement by a US federal jury over using an inventor’s 3D display patent with their successful portable gaming device, the Nintendo 3DS.

According to a Reuters report, the technology was developed and invented by Seijiro Tomita, a former Sony employee who sued Nintendo in 2011. He has since won the case, and was awarded an estimated $30.2 million in compensation.

Developed to use 3D images without the need of 3D Glasses, Tomita’s technology is a key aspect and feature of the 3DS, which was first announced in 2010 and released the following year in Japan on February 2011. As the successor to the Nintendo DS and Gameboy line of portable game consoles, the 3DS offered sharp and crisp imagery as well as superb 3D visual effects. Some complaints arose though, especially with the usage of the system by children six and below. Possible harm and depth of vision was cited as the concern for younger children using the 3D Mode of the system, and has even led to dizziness and headaches for normal users as well.

Gaming site IGN shared this statement from Nintendo:

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.

The Nintendo 3DS and its redesigned successor, the Nintendo 3DSXL, are currently available in the consumer market. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: nintendo, copyright, patent, patentinfringement