Following the fallout over the patent infringement that Target Technology company, LLC, called over Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Pictures, and Sony DADC, a new development has come up from an anonymous identity over the Sony Protection Group Forums. And as one could easily assume, all the information given out was in defense of the electronics giant.

AnonymousAJA, as the user at the forums is called, suspected that the media and the litigation as a whole was more corrupt than can be taken at face value. Granted that the suit itself was general and unspecific to how far the infringement has reached, many believe that the suit was simply to cash in on what people believe would be Sony's primary profit source.

He pointed out that Target Technology, having first patented a similar disc material technology as early as December 1999, continued to file patents of similar descriptions ever since the first was filed. He noted that each time a new patent was filed, the descriptions would be reworded and yet would still appear to describe the same thing.

In addition, he also points out that each of the patents would be issued by the same person who goes by the name of Han H. Lee. He then probes into Target Technology's company background, which apparently fueled the many fans to judge what a small company of 10 employees and less than a million dollars worth of annual sales is trying to do.

He also points out that Target Technology is actually engaged in another litigation against Williams Advanced Materials Inc. According to the latest document published by Edgar Online, WAM has called for some of Target Technology's patents to be rendered invalid while awarding the company with sums for damages.

All the facts point out what some business analysts would consider as the future of the drug wars: technology possession and profiting from meritless claims.

 

California-based Target Technology Company has filed a suit against Sony earlier this month. The technology company is seeking "damages multiplied due to willful infringement" for alleged patent violation relating to Sony's current high-definition format bet, Blu-ray.

Here's the deal: Target Technology Company's patent revolves around the use of certain silver-based alloys that are more resistant to corrosion than pure silver, and has the advantages that gold has. The patent was filed in April 2004, and was granted to Target during March of 2006.

That was then, this is now. Now, Target Technology Company named Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Sony Pictures, and Sony DADC in its lawsuit. Target claims that products under the Blu-ray name - this includes PS3 games and that new Blu-ray HD movie you've got in your closet - infringes on Target's patent for reflective layer materials in optical discs

What's odd about this legal action though, as pointed out by the folks at GameSpot, is that Target Technology Company didn't specify in its suit if all manufactured Blu-ray discs infringe on Target Technology Company's patent or just a portion of discs manufactured in certain ways.

This situation isn't new to Sony. It can be recalled that it had to pay damages to Immersion Corporation in dispute over the rumble function in Dual Shock Controllers. Since then, the two companies moved past their former issues and there are even reports that Sony and Immersion are working on a new project that should introduce rumble technology to PS3 products.

So will this lawsuit affect Sony and the Blu-ray's apparent success as a format in other regions? Given that Sony might also figure out a convenient way to settle this legal problem like before, it seems unlikely.

Thanks to QJ reader Spirit Hawk Leon for the tip!