Immersion has settled its long running dispute with Microsoft over vibrating
computer devices with a one-off payment of $20.75m.
Immersion owns the
patent on so-called "force feedback" devices, which are used in computer games
controllers and mice. The company sued both Sony and Microsoft for the use of
the technology and as a part of the settlement of the Microsoft case agreed to
pay back a proportion of any settlement reached with Sony.
Immersion succeeded in getting Sony to pay a $22m dollar settlement and more
than $100m in royalties, costs and licence and patent fees, but then baulked at
paying any money back to Microsoft. Redmond sued and Immersion countersued,
stating a breach of a confidentiality agreement.
"We are pleased to resolve our outstanding dispute with Microsoft and to put
this litigation behind us," said Immersion president Clent Richardson. "We now
have our full attention and focus devoted to working with innovative companies
around the world, including Microsoft, to accelerate and rapidly achieve global
adoption of our haptic technology in gaming, consumer electronics, mobility, and
medical products."
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