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Microsoft Faces Lawsuit Over Kinect Motion Sensor Technology

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News Posted: Sun, Sep 30 2012 11:48 AM
While gamers move and gyrate in front of Microsoft's Kinect motion sensor for the Xbox 360, the Redmond outfit will have to do some maneuvering of its own...in court. A company called Intelligent Verification Systems claims in federal court that the Kinect infringes on a 2006 patent for an "Animated Toy Utilizing Artificial Intelligence and Facial Image Recognition."

According to Courthouse News Service, the patent in question specifically calls attention to the technology's potential application for video games, video game systems, and other entertainment systems. The complaint states the invention was the first of its kind, and all previous facial recognition technology was found only in security related products.


Microsoft released the Kinect in late 2010, four years after Intelligent Verification Systems was granted its patent. The Kinect uses facial recognition and motion sensing technology to allow gamers to interact with supported titles and applications, including the system's dashboard, which Kinect owners can navigate by waving their hand. Microsoft was supposedly made aware of the alleged infringement a year ago, but ignored the letter it was sent.

It's unclear how much in damages Intelligent Verification Systems is seeking, and whether or not a product ban has been requested.
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costinul_ala replied on Sun, Sep 30 2012 1:43 PM

Look out! A new patent troll on the rise!

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InsideSin replied on Sun, Sep 30 2012 3:25 PM

Pardon my language but this is honestly bullshit. It's unfortunate that we can't just have a moral system where people can take other people's ideas as long as they put it to better use for the advancement of mankind. That patent Intelligent Verification Systems made was back in 2006. I haven't heard of them before doing anything big with it, so now they have to go trying to sue people in court? BS

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RGreathouse replied on Sun, Sep 30 2012 4:21 PM

I'm not surprised that Microsoft has stolen an idea or technology with a patent. Isn't that what they are famous for?

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thunderdan602 replied on Mon, Oct 1 2012 11:21 AM

Everyone should sue everyone that way you get easy money and not really have to work for it! *rolls eyes*

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RTietjens replied on Mon, Oct 1 2012 1:00 PM

Actually, IVS's patent strikes me as perfectly valid. Intel had an interactive Webcam game system some years back, but never thought to incorporate facial recognition. This is one of the few tech patent suits I have seen in the past half-decade that strikes me as having merit.

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acarzt replied on Wed, Oct 3 2012 2:38 PM

No one has ever even heard of this company and they obviously never even did anything with the patent.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=JCd4AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

There's the patent. They talk about putting the tech in a teddy bear... It seems like they were just trying to cover any possible scenario where this technology would be implemented so they can sue them later... Patent Troll.

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