If you read the patent, it is quite specific in its claims. [Begin Really Long URL]
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...0&s1=6672963.WKU.&OS=PN/6672963&RS=PN/6672963
[/End Really Long URL]
To quote the abstract:
"A software emulator for emulating a handheld video game platform such as GAME BOY.RTM., GAME BOY COLOR.RTM. and/or GAME BOY ADVANCE.RTM. on a low-capability target platform (e.g., a seat-back display for airline or train use, a personal digital assistant, a cell phone) uses a number of features and optimizations to provide high quality graphics and sound that nearly duplicates the game playing experience on the native platform. Some exemplary features include use of bit BLITing, graphics character reformatting, modeling of a native platform liquid crystal display controller using a sequential state machine, and selective skipping of frame display updates if the game play falls behind what would occur on the native platform."
IANAL but the part about "low-capability target platform" is key here, it is going after emulators running on other handheld/portable devices, not emulators in general.
Another part to quote: (LONG)
"...method of adapting said computer system to play interactive games written for a handheld video game platform different from said computer system, said handheld video game platform of the type including a microprocessor of a second type different from said first type and also including liquid crystal display and associated display circuitry, said handheld video game platform executing any of plural video game binary images to provide interactive video game play, said binary images being at least in part incompatible with said computer system, said method comprising:
loading and executing a software program on said computer system;
storing, in said computer system memory, a binary image that when executed by said handheld video game platform provides interactive video game play on said handheld video game platform;
analyzing, with said software program, said stored binary image to detect whether said binary image constitutes a predetermined video game title;
converting, with said software program, instructions within said stored binary image into instructions for execution by said first type microprocessor;
implementing, with said software program, a state machine that emulates plural states exhibited by said display circuitry associated with said handheld video game platform liquid crystal display; and
generating an audio visual real time interactive presentation with said computer system in response to said converted instructions, including optimizing said audio visual real time interactive presentation generation for said predetermined video game title in response to said analyzing step, wherein the software program includes game-specific information that selectively changes functionality in response to detection of said predetermined video game title."
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Again, it is very specific in it's targeting. Once again IANAL(I am not a lawyer) but that is just my $0.02 on it all.
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