Microsoft $20m richer after Immersion settlement

Immersion has settled its long running dispute with Microsoft over vibrating computer devices with a one-off payment of $20.75m.

Immersion owns the patent on so-called "force feedback" devices, which are used in computer games controllers and mice. The company sued both Sony and Microsoft for the use of the technology and as a part of the settlement of the Microsoft case agreed to pay back a proportion of any settlement reached with Sony.

Immersion succeeded in getting Sony to pay a $22m dollar settlement and more than $100m in royalties, costs and licence and patent fees, but then baulked at paying any money back to Microsoft. Redmond sued and Immersion countersued, stating a breach of a confidentiality agreement.

"We are pleased to resolve our outstanding dispute with Microsoft and to put this litigation behind us," said Immersion president Clent Richardson. "We now have our full attention and focus devoted to working with innovative companies around the world, including Microsoft, to accelerate and rapidly achieve global adoption of our haptic technology in gaming, consumer electronics, mobility, and medical products."

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