HTC taken to court over virtual reality patents
Texas-based Motiva Patents yesterday accused electronics company HTC of infringing five patents relating to virtual reality (VR).
Motiva filed its complaint at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, accusing Taiwan-based HTC of infringing US patent numbers 7,292,151; 7,952,483; 8,159,354; 8,427,325; and 9,427,659.
The patents teach systems, such as those relating to video games, of tracking a user’s movement, position and/or orientation.
In particular, the systems protected by the patents include one or more hand-held transponders that communicate with a processing system, such as a computer. The transponders’ movement, position and orientation are tracked and shown on a digital display using sensors.
In addition, the technology allows the user to manipulate virtual objects in 3D.
Motiva alleged that HTC’s VR headsets Vive, Vive Pro and Vive BE, and accompanying equipment infringe the asserted patents.
For example, the accused products include a hand-held communication device incorporating technology for transmitting and receiving signals and an output device that allegedly infringe the five patents.
HTC’s accused Vive products include a headset that uses tracking technology to allow the user to move around in VR. The products also include motion-tracked handheld controllers that enable the user to interact with the surrounding environment.
Motiva also claimed that HTC has caused its consumers to directly infringe the asserted patents by using the Vive products.
“Defendant’s actions are at least objectively reckless as to the risk of infringing a valid patent and this objective risk was either known or should have been known by defendant,” said Motiva.
Motiva is requesting a permanent injunction and damages.
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