Firm Sues Sony Over Cell processor

[assassinz]

Firm Sues Sony Over Cell Processor. Does this mean the PS3 needs to be pulled from shelves soon?

 

[nintendofreak]

if Sony loses, i would suppose so

Id love to see Sony lose this case...

 

[Mangofett]

Hahaha!

Sony copies even when its not aware its copying!

 

[JPH]

That is what I call karma, my friends.

LikSang

 

[Lukeage]

I was going to say this looks like a patent troll (it very well could be) because from the article it sounded like they had a pantent on any form of parallel processing that utilises multiple cpus with a single data set, however, after reading the patent (Patent), it appear the claim is based on the fact that the Cell processor has a Main CPU with multiple slaves, whereas more general computing has each CPU is it's own master, however they can be set off to do slave tasks.

Edit: I re-read and it says any CPU can be a master....

If they win, I can't the the PS3 disappearing off the market, Sony will just pay out licensing and things will keep on going.

 

[Darkforce]

Hahaha!

Sony copies even when its not aware its copying!

Lol.


But yeah, just another stupid company trying to make a quick buck via patents:

Register vague patent and sit on it.
?????
PROFIT

As fun as it would be for Sony to lose this one, they'll probably win.

 

[Destructobot]

The whole patent system is really messed up. It's almost impossible to be sure you aren't infringing on anyone's patent even if you have a large budget for patent research.

This particular patent was filed on November 7, 1989, so it expires on November 7, 2009. If Sony can just drag this case out for 2 years, they'll be home free.

 

[adgloride]

If a company patent something and are infringing another patent. They should have to come forward quickly. If you don't, you have no claim.

 

[Destructobot]

I think that's how it works in the US, for both patents and copyrights.

 

[iTech]

When the Cell processor was first announced, I wrote a big tirade on the net on how I had invented it myself during many late night pounding sessions (which is when I do my best pondering). Immediately, some other guys revealed that they had thought-up similar things while in college, the bathroom, etc. So the idea is certainly not unique (and just a spin on multi core/multi processor systems. I envisioned several tiny processors on a single die responsible for executing user-definable instructions capable of executing in parallel, which is not far off from the CELL (but better still) so no wonder someone went out and patented it. I doubt Sony would lose though, as there is tons of prior art which, and a team of great lawyers could make the patent appear void (Each multiprocessor system can be argued to be what was described in the patent). And even if they lose, all they need to do is either pay out the requested fees, or change the processor in a small way to make the patent inapplicable.


[EDIT:] WTF kind of sentence was *that*?

 

[Veho]

The Cell processor was modeled after the mainframe architecture IBM developed in the 70's. The Cell processor is basically a mainframe computer at a higher tact and on one chip instead of several chips on one motherboard (and some graphics acceleration added for good measure). And, the Cell was developed partly by IBM. Now, even if the firm filing the lawsuit has a patent, IBM has evidence of prior art; they were there first.

Still, Sony is in danger of the "Eolas effect". Just like Eolas managed to patent "plugins" when everyone else had been using plugins for years, and went on to win a lawsuit against Microsoft for using their "patented plugin technology" in Internet Explorer (prior art or not), the people suing Sony have a good shot at achieving an out of court settlement at least.

It's a weird world. I'm just waiting for someone to sue McDonalds for infringing someone else's "minced cow inna bun" patent...

*goes to patent hamburgers*

EDIT: Wait. I just remembered Sony got their ass handed to them by Immersion, over the rumble patent, and that was a wild one, with "no chance of succeeding"...

Oh well. Bye-bye Sony Electronic Entertainment department. It's been fun knowing you...