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Sony files patent for wireless gaming techniques

Written by Jari Ketola @ 21 Jan 2005 5:43 User comments (2)

Sony files patent for wireless gaming techniques Sony has filed a patent application which describes several methods for using wireless connections in portable game machines. The methods described could very well be used with the PlayStation Portable (PSP) gaming device in the future.
The patent application, filed in June 2003, describes, for instance, ways of connecting a portable device to a "base computing device" which would do all the resource intensive calculations and feed the data to the portable device. The device would be responsible for mostly just playing back video and audio.

In addition to using the wireless connection to enable more complex games, the application suggest that content could be downloaded wirelessly to the device. The content would not be limited to just games, but would cover other digital content as well -- such as movies and music.

Sony has not commented on the application or it's connections to PSP. PlayStation Portable is expected to be launched in the US in March 2005.

Source: Gamespot

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2 user comments

125.1.2005 11:22

Is that really possible? Seems like patenting roads to me, so you can't use your wheels without a toll. Isn't a PDA a portable device? A laptop? Perhaps that's just misconception on my part.

225.1.2005 11:24
m_towell
Inactive

Isn't there a "common use" law that says something like "if something is in common use then it can't be coptrighted or patented"? If I'm right, then surely the "connecting a portable device to a base station" is now in common use, and therefore cannot be patented.

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