Why Do People Say The D-pad Is Patent Encumbered?


Logomachist

Still Fresh
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
16
Age
45
Location
Pa
Website
www.myspace.com
I've been reading a couple threads here... why do people keep saying the d-pad is parented? Patents only last 20 years, and the d-pad has been around at least that long.
 
They could've gone with what the Sega Nomad had, which was a D-pad for all intents and purposes and was more comfortable anyway.

Or did Sega patent that particular design?

/this comeback post is rather sucky...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
yes this is true patents can last for a very long time, also there are renewal fees to be considered.
 
Nintendo holds the D-pad Patent. and have an agency that is there to renew the patents.
 
Intellectual property is extremely complex. It is certainly not as simple as you patient something for a set period of time, nothing in law is that black and white. I am a Lawyer, but have never touched such matters and never would. There are people whom dedicate their entire careers to such specific areas of law. You will not get anything near a definitive response from asking such a speculative question, unless you are prepared to pay somebody a lot of money to potentially save you a lot of money from future litigation.
 
sam fisher said:
linoleum13 said:
The actual US patent says it was started on August 18th, 1987. If its 20 years then it would be past due now.
Craig is a UK company, not a US one ;)


Publication No GB2144582 dated 06.03.1985

Examination requested 31.07.1985

Patent Granted with effect from 10.06.1987 (Section 25(1)) with title
MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SWITCH

01.08.2003 Patent expired on 04.08.2003

Date Filed 05.08.1983

Date Not in Force 04.08.2003

Date of Last Renewal 31.07.2002

Year of Last Renewal 20

Next Renewal Date

Status EXPIRED

=========

Seems like they only registered it for 20 years in the UK too, and didn't bother to renew it.

However, that doesn't stop Ninty from sueing you anyway. No, they wouldn't win, but they'd be able to bankrupt you with legal fees.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nintendo and Sony are known for doing it too. Don't know about Sega.

Check out these patents by Nintendo too:

GB2344638A
GB2247107A
GB2340212A
 
Is there a patent for NeoGeo Pocket's 8-way clicky stick?

It's one of the best devices for directional control.
 
I dunno... Nintendo suing a company that makes a Linux-based handheld over a clearly expired patent? Something tells me the FSF would love to take 'em on, and in the end Nintendo would be the one paying the fees.

Plus here's more evidence that the D-pad patent is expired: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-pad
 
Which hundreds of companies are you talking about? Note that the dpad needs to look the same as that shown in the patent.
 
jmetal88 said:
Squidge said:
However, that doesn't stop Ninty from sueing you anyway. No, they wouldn't win, but they'd be able to bankrupt you with legal fees.
Yup. Just like Sony did to Bleem!


And also like what they did to Lik-Sang.

-God Ginrai
 
Last edited by a moderator:
dosteridge said:
Intellectual property is extremely complex. It is certainly not as simple as you patient something for a set period of time, nothing in law is that black and white. I am a Lawyer, but have never touched such matters and never would. There are people whom dedicate their entire careers to such specific areas of law. You will not get anything near a definitive response from asking such a speculative question, unless you are prepared to pay somebody a lot of money to potentially save you a lot of money from future litigation.
"Thread win", in contemporary parlance.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top