No case to answer

Nintendo has confirmed that it's seen off yet another patent lawsuit in the U.S., with this one perhaps being the most significant victory so far. A company called Copper Innovations Group, LLC had claimed that both Wii and its controllers had infringed one of its patents, but a U.S. District Court judge dismissed the case without the need for a jury trial.

Nintendo has faced and dismissed its share of patent lawsuits over the years, with one example being a claim against Wii Fit and its software. Some companies that register vague patents and pursue products that resemble that submission, sometimes years later, are often referred to as 'patent trolls'. While it can be tempting to pay these claims off, Nintendo has a policy of contesting these lawsuits when it feels in the right. You can read the official announcement from Nintendo below.

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A U.S. District Court judge has summarily dismissed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Nintendo brought by Copper Innovations Group, LLC. Copper had alleged that the Wii console and its controllers infringed on one of its patents (U.S. Patent No. 5,640,152). Judge David Cercone of the U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh granted summary judgment in Nintendo's favor and ruled that there was no need for a jury trial.

"We are very pleased with the court's decision," said Richard Medway, Nintendo of America's deputy general counsel. "Nintendo has a long history of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others. We also vigorously defend patent lawsuits when we firmly believe that we have not infringed another party's patent, despite the risks that this policy entails. I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the tireless efforts of our legal team."