Sony sued over Cell Broadband Engine.

L

Calif-based company claims that the PS3 CPU infringes on its 15 year-old patent

Sony is yet again a target for a patent infringement lawsuit, this time regarding the centerpiece of its latest games console.

Newport Beach, Calif.-based Parallel Processing Corporation claims that the Cell Broadband Engine, the innovative processor that powers every PlayStation 3 and several IBM servers, infringes upon a patent that was filed more than 15 years ago.

Patent number 5,056,000, titled "Synchronized parallel processing with shared memory," describes "a high speed computer that permits the partitioning of a single computer program into smaller concurrent processes running in different parallel processors. The program execution time is divided into synchronous phases, each of which may require a shared memory to be configured in a distinct way. At the end of each execution phase, the processors are resynchronized such that the composite system will be in a known state at a known point in time. The computer makes efficient use of hardware such that n processors can solve a problem almost n times as fast as a single processor."

Parallel Processing Corporation filed the suit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Sony, stating that the use of the Cell Broadband Engine in the PlayStation 3 "are causing irreparable harm and monetary damage" to the company. The lawsuit is seeking damages, attorney fees and an injunction against the Japanese electronics company.

It is unclear why Parallel Processing Corporation chose to only file suit against Sony when the Cell Broadband Engine was a joint development project with Sony, Toshiba and IBM

ooking at the patent, it looks very likely that they did. I think they should pay up on this one, you don't want a whole Immersion deal again.

DAILYTECH

the suit is still in litigation

the company suing also demanded that every ps3 be destroyed

sounds like theyre gonna win....

I'm wondering why they didn't sue IBM.Hewkii

[QUOTE="Hewkii"]I'm wondering why they didn't sue IBM.Darthmatt

Wow.

Sony is gonna get sued a lot this gen.

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

You're a little late but this does seem a bit weird. I've been looking but I can't find a single speck of info (besides in this lawsuit) about then Parallel Processing Corporation. Has anyone found information on this company because this whole thing sounds shady.Ibacai

I can't find anything neither which is weird all I find is ''Parallel Processing Corporation sued SONY over 15 year old patent'' that's it sounds pretty suspicious to me..

the suit is still in litigation

the company suing also demanded that every ps3 be destroyed

sounds like theyre gonna win....

simulation

:lol: If that happens then cows all over the universe will cease to exist

I'm wondering why they didn't sue IBM.Hewkii

[QUOTE="Willy105"]

Wow.

Sony is gonna get sued a lot this gen.

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

revolution2k6

I'm glad someone said it.

plus, this patent sounds like it could effect Intel's Core 2 Duos as well.Hewkii

Sony get sued quite a lot don't they...?SpigleyMcCheese

Yes. They are the most sued company on earth. In fact, the US Justice Department is thinking of setting up a special circuit of courts who's only task is to handle the millions of lawsuits brought against Sony each hour.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Sony has been sued for patent infringement by Newport Beach, Calif.-based Parallel Processing Corporation, which claims the Cell processor that powers the company's PlayStation 3 video game console infringes its 1991 patent.

Sony also faces a number of other patent infringement claims related to Blu-ray PlayStation 3 discs, and security features of the console.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Parallel Processing's lawsuit claims its patented "synchronized parallel processing with shared memory" technology has been infringed by Sony; the company seeks damages, attorney's fees, an injunction against further infringement, and destruction of all products allegedly infringing on its patent.

This looks bad for SONY and looks like MAJOR loses this is worrying:|

Submitted by Mark Hefflinger on July 31, 2007 - 11:35am.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Sony has been sued for patent infringement by Newport Beach, Calif.-based Parallel Processing Corporation, which claims the Cell processor that powers the company's PlayStation 3 video game console infringes its 1991 patent.

Sony also faces a number of other patent infringement claims related to Blu-ray PlayStation 3 discs, and security features of the console.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Parallel Processing's lawsuit claims its patented "synchronized parallel processing with shared memory" technology has been infringed by Sony; the company seeks damages, attorney's fees, an injunction against further infringement, and destruction of all products allegedly infringing on its patent.

This looks bad for SONY and looks like MAJOR loses this is worrying:|

DeadMan1290

:lol: I hope Sony is destroyed. Serves them right

What did they do with the patent for the last 15 yrs? Probably nothing. itjust sat there in a cabinet labelled "patents for suing"

[QUOTE="DeadMan1290"]Submitted by Mark Hefflinger on July 31, 2007 - 11:35am.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Sony has been sued for patent infringement by Newport Beach, Calif.-based Parallel Processing Corporation, which claims the Cell processor that powers the company's PlayStation 3 video game console infringes its 1991 patent.

Sony also faces a number of other patent infringement claims related to Blu-ray PlayStation 3 discs, and security features of the console.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Parallel Processing's lawsuit claims its patented "synchronized parallel processing with shared memory" technology has been infringed by Sony; the company seeks damages, attorney's fees, an injunction against further infringement, and destruction of all products allegedly infringing on its patent.

This looks bad for SONY and looks like MAJOR loses this is worrying:|

PoppaLemming

:lol: I hope Sony is destroyed. Serves them right

This is a sad lawsuit, wouldnt this also call into question any multicore processor made because the discription of the patent definatly seems like it would require them to sue Intel / AMD / IBM. Also has anyone been able to find anything on this company at all. ANti_RiCeR

Well I've been looking all over the place and haven't found anything yet. All I find is ''Parallel Processing Corporation sues SONY over 15 year old patent'' nothing else. Would be interesting to find something though.

This is a sad lawsuit, wouldnt this also call into question any multicore processor made because the discription of the patent definatly seems like it would require them to sue Intel / AMD / IBM. Also has anyone been able to find anything on this company at all. ANti_RiCeR

No. I'm not a lawyer, but it looks like the company basically had the idea and patented it, but never did anything about it... I really doubt they can win considering this would have to involve any and all multicore processors.

As for anyone wanting Sony to go under: You are retarded. Without Sony, that leaves MS and Nintendo. Less competition means we won't see the wheels churning as hard as they are now to get us to buy their systems. Competition is what makes them strive to make some GREAT games. Not to mention Sony makes some of the best electronics besides the PS3.

Suspicious why didn't they sue IBM and Toshiba why SONY?...Well we'll see Lemmings and Sheep laughing at this soon enough...But let's hope SONY wins this one...DeadMan1290

the reason IBM and Toshiba didnt get sued is because sony is the only one advertising and selling a product using cell right now.

[QUOTE="DeadMan1290"]Suspicious why didn't they sue IBM and Toshiba why SONY?...Well we'll see Lemmings and Sheep laughing at this soon enough...But let's hope SONY wins this one...jxditu

the reason IBM and Toshiba didnt get sued is because sony is the only one advertising and selling a product using cell right now.

OH...Well then I guess SONY will take all the blame. That sux for them, I wish them luck in the future.

[QUOTE="jxditu"]

[QUOTE="DeadMan1290"]Suspicious why didn't they sue IBM and Toshiba why SONY?...Well we'll see Lemmings and Sheep laughing at this soon enough...But let's hope SONY wins this one...DeadMan1290

the reason IBM and Toshiba didnt get sued is because sony is the only one advertising and selling a product using cell right now.

OH...Well then I guess SONY will take all the blame. That sux for them, I wish them luck in the future.

the reason IBM and Toshiba didnt get sued is because sony is the only one advertising and selling a product using cell right now.

jxditu

[QUOTE="revolution2k6"][QUOTE="Willy105"]

Wow.

Sony is gonna get sued a lot this gen.

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

ramey70

I'm glad someone said it.

It was a joke, you know. You didn't have to insult me.

[QUOTE="ramey70"][QUOTE="revolution2k6"][QUOTE="Willy105"]

Wow.

Sony is gonna get sued a lot this gen.

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

Willy105

I'm glad someone said it.

It was a joke, you know. You didn't have to insult me.

I didn't, he did. And you have to admit that sometimes it's very hard to discern the jokes from people being serious on this board. I never know what to believe!

How can someone still go through all existing patents these days to see whether they couldn't be interpreted as what You think of? Apparently they can't, or if they could have, the patents are apparently pretty useless.

How can someone still go through all existing patents these days to see whether they couldn't be interpreted as what You think of? Apparently they can't, or if they could have, the patents are apparently pretty useless.

KungfuKitten

Bad news for Sony and the industry if the people sueing actually win.

either way, sony losses more money directly contributed to the ps3.

not good for sony's plan to take over the world...:(

I never knew there were so many lawyers on System Wars. I know where I'm going the next time I get a ticket.ramey70

Patent law and criminal law aren't the same.. :)

[QUOTE="Hewkii"]I'm wondering why they didn't sue IBM.Darthmatt

IBM was part of the STI group that designed the chip and they are one of the people fabing them, I think whoever this company is just hopes that a judge will be more likely to side with them due to prior successful patent litigation against Sony.

im patenting the ability to talk, speak, or type on systems wars!.....dude theres patents for almost everything now these days you can get sued for just about anything. i mean wtf?!....you can get sued for cleaning a certain way because some woman patented it!!!!!

Well.. This is just some guys wanting to earn an extra buck.. (or a few million of them..) Nothing serious..

You're a little late but this does seem a bit weird. I've been looking but I can't find a single speck of info (besides in this lawsuit) about then Parallel Processing Corporation. Has anyone found information on this company because this whole thing sounds shady.Ibacai

um - look no further than Sony's patents for the PS3 Cell, they actually quoted PPC in their documentation :( either a) Sony lawyers were positive they're safe, or b) Sony is stupid and the patent wasn't properly examined by a lawyer.

You're a little late but this does seem a bit weird. I've been looking but I can't find a single speck of info (besides in this lawsuit) about then Parallel Processing Corporation. Has anyone found information on this company because this whole thing sounds shady.Ibacai

I haven't, the entire thing largely looks baseless contrary to what the OP and others in this thread have said. I've found the guys who regularly comment at arstechnica tend to know what they are talking about and that was the conclusion reached there and elsewhere.

plus, this patent sounds like it could effect Intel's Core 2 Duos as well.Hewkii

Its extremely general which is what I think makes it ripe for invalidation, it could essentially derail all multi-core processor development due to the broad terms it employs.

No it doesn't implicate them at all. They're talking about Parallel Processing between specialized processors. C2D's do not have special processors on any of there wafers.Fusible

Parts of the patent are general enough so as to implicate all multi-core processors.

Yes. They are the most sued company on earth. In fact, the US Justice Department is thinking of setting up a special circuit of courts who's only task is to handle the millions of lawsuits brought against Sony each hour.

ramey70

There already is one, its called the East Texas District Court.

There are days i wonder if Sony even has Lawyers check into patents. They got sued over rumble, refused to pay and lost 90m. Likely why they took rumble out this time around. And this time around i've seen at least 3 lawsuits over their tech for patent issues. Clearly they are not doing their homework here. Yes i know there are companies that just make patents so they can sue people but being Sony you would think they'd actually look into the patents but it seems they don'tkarmageddon2k4

They did check into the patent, it's quoted in their own for the cell....

Well I've been looking all over the place and haven't found anything yet. All I find is ''Parallel Processing Corporation sues SONY over 15 year old patent'' nothing else. Would be interesting to find something though.

gamenux

According to one of the links posted in B3D thread I linked it is a corporation specifically set up by patent lawyers for the purpose of litigation against Sony.

the reason IBM and Toshiba didnt get sued is because sony is the only one advertising and selling a product using cell right now.

jxditu

IBM's Cell-based blade servers say otherwise, as does the line of Cell-based supercomputers they are working on. Toshiba is also supposedly working on products utilizing the chip but they are ridiculously late in delivering them.

The one thing that won't happen is the destruction of the PS3's. One, I'm pretty sure they didn't know about the patent, and two, the courts will not allow Sony to simply destroy there merchandise.Fusible

:lol: I hope Sony is destroyed. Serves them right

PoppaLemming

im patenting the ability to talk, speak, or type on systems wars!.....dude theres patents for almost everything now these days you can get sued for just about anything. i mean wtf?!....you can get sued for cleaning a certain way because some woman patented it!!!!!

djxaquaxblue

Thats a action, not a product...

Bad news for Sony and the industry if the people sueing actually win.

eastside49er

Wow.

Sony is gonna get sued a lot this gen.

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

Willy105

Wait until Marvel sues Sony for the font.

You don't understand that Sony Pictures owns it do you?!