Sony, Nintendo, Apple sued over wireless tech

The Big Three console manufacturers are regularly fending off patent dispute litigation, to varying degrees of success. As spotted by Patent Arcade, Sony Computer Entertainment and Nintendo, along with iPhone creator Apple, were served with a new patent-dispute complaint last week in the Western District Court of Texas that deals with the way the three companies handle wireless communication channels.

The complaint was filed by Bandspeed Inc., which describes itself as "the leader in next-generation Wi-Fi management," and stems from two patents the company filed in September 2001. The first patent, which was issued in April 2006, details a way in which a device selects a wireless channel to communicate through based on performance. The second patent, issued August 4, 2009, concerns managing said communications channels, also based on performance.

Bandspeed contends that Sony, Nintendo, and Apple violate both of these patents with their respective PlayStation 3, Wii, and iPhone 3G products. The wireless communications company seeks damages as determined by the court, as well as a permanent injunction preventing the three companies from continuing to violate Bandspeed's patents.