Patent 4,734,690

[ShizZy]

There is currently ongoing litigation over a patent violation against several big game companies. You can read a bit about the case and the issue here ( IGDA Article - http://www.igda.org/columns/lastword...ords_Mar05.php ) and read the actual patent here ( http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/4734690 ) . The patent basically describes a "method and system which defines a "first" and a "second three-dimensional coordinate modeling space"; with a "viewing space being movable at a selected radial distance around a selected reference point in the modeling space;" and effects a "transform of the coordinates of the object to the viewing space and to a two-dimensional coordinate screen space." It also provides a "method whereby the user can change the pitch, yaw or roll of the viewing space, and also specify a radial distance at which the object may be viewed." This is basically the method that almost every 3D game and engine out there uses to handle camera and model transforms. The implications of this are broad, and as mentioned in the article, could mean that publishers will no longer be willing to publish 3D games until the legal issues are resolved. What do you guys think are the other long term implications of this lawsuit?



From the IGDA Newsletter:

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1: Patent '690 Prior Art Search
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There is an ongoing patent litigation case in the Eastern District of Texas of interest to all developers because of how broadly the Plaintiff appears to want to apply the claims of the patent. In this case, American Video Graphics, L.P. ("Plaintiff") has sued sixteen game publishers, alleging that these defendants infringe AVG's U.S. Patent No. 4,734,690, "Method and Apparatus for Spherical Panning." See Jim Charne's commentary in this month's Famous Last Words:
http://www.igda.org/columns/lastword...ords_Mar05.php

Plaintiff has identified over 1000 accused games, which Plaintiff alleges infringe their '690 patent. The '690 patent abstract states: "A graphics display terminal performs a pan operation with respect to a view motion center to effectuate spherical panning

Many people are disregarding it, but it could pose a huge potential threat to the gaming industry. The technology was invented by someone, and now that someone wants his money's worth.

[smcd]

I think the patent office has gone to shit In all seriousness, patents have a purpose - to protect a unique idea. Stuff like this (in my opinion) is far from unique.

[ScottJC]

LOL, they can sue over this? that's just so pathetic.

Next some arsehole will come out and say they invented the wheel... and you know how many things have wheels!!!

[Slougi]

From the patent:

§1:
[...] defining a second three-dimensional coordinate space as a viewing space from which the object may be viewed, the viewing space being movable at a selected radial distance around a selected reference point in the modeling space;[...]

I take the bolded part to mean that the "second viewing space" (camera) stays at a constant distance with regards to the object in view. So basically this applies to camera rotations around objects at a fixed distance?

Ah no actually reading on, in the next claims they specify quite a lot of transformations... Incredibly stupid patent. Luckily it seems to be US only.

edit: damn reading on, they have patented basically any kind of non-static 3d viewport/camera.

[zAlbee]

Hm, I don't think the patent is claiming the rights to those transformations (hey, 4d clipping coordinate system, i know you ), the mathematics, or the algorithms (their inventors are well-known).

The mathematics used for 3D images is described in several texts, including

(1) W. M. Newman, R. F. Sproull, "Principles of Interactive Computer Graphics", 2nd ed. 1973 McGraw-Hill, pp. 333-356 and

(2) J. D. Foley, A. Van Dam, "Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics", 1982 Addison-Weseley, pp. 267-316.

The z-buffer algorithm is described in Newman and Sproull (pp. 369-371) and in Foley and Van Dam (pp. 560-561).

They <i>seem</i> to be claiming rights over the implementation of the program, including inputs and memory handling, which <i>should</i> be refutable, but I can't be sure if that's what they're claiming.

[ShizZy]

Techincally, a mathematic formula/equation cannot be patented. This patent relates to the algorithms used for the methods of camera rotation and such. Which is a lot of math, so it's a sort of gray area.

[Slougi]

They are patenting the use of the algorithms in 3d software afaict.

[smegforbrain]

Another pathetic software patent causing another pathetic lawsuit.

It's high time I pull a bunch of shit out of my ass, patent it, and wait until I can sue somebody else for pulling the same idea out of their ass.

[ScottJC]

yeah, sue someone every time they go to the toilet... it was your idea first remember!