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Nintendo: We didn't just slay Wii Fit 'troll', we've now gobbled its patents

Mario gang snaps up exercise sensor tech it didn't infringe

"Patent troll" InterActive (IA) Labs not only tried to sue Nintendo and lost: it's now had its patent portfolio bought by the gaming giant in a sheriff's sale.

The fun began in 2010, when Maryland-based US peripheral maker IA filed suit alleging that Nintendo infringed its fitness gadget and exercise sensor patents by manufacturing the Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, the Wii Balance Board, Wii Remote, Wii Wheel, Wii MotionPlus, Wii Nunchuck and Wii Zapper products.

Nintendo won [PDF] the case in 2012, but (as always) had to wait until February 2013 to have the case upheld on appeal.

In June 2013, the US federal circuit upheld that decision, which included the award of US$236,000 in fees to Nintendo – which has branded IA Labs a "defunct patent troll."

Nintendo has now claimed that the payments didn't happen – and as a result, “a sheriff's sale Montgomery County, Maryland, was conducted to sell IA Labs' remaining assets, including its patent portfolio. Nintendo obtained IA Labs' entire patent portfolio at that sale as partial repayment for litigation costs.” ®

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