ShizZy
Emulator Developer
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/lastwords/lastwords_Mar05.php ) and read the actual patent here ( http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...t&s1=4734690.WKU.&OS=PN/4734690&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:
From the IGDA Newsletter:
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.===============================
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/lastwords/lastwords_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