Sony Abandons Patent Suit Against Connectix

Sony Corp. has voluntarily dismissed its federal patent infringement case against Connectix, one day before those claims were to go to trial, Connectix said. Sony officials were not immediately available for comment. Connectix apparently has won another round in its legal battle with Sony over software that allows games developed for Sony’s PlayStation to be played on a personal computer. Sony filed the patent claim in February, after filing a separate federal suit alleging that Connectix’s Virtual Game Station violated Sony’s copyrights. Last month, a federal judge threw out seven of Sony’s nine claims in the copyright claim. San Mateo, Calif.-based Connectix released its Virtual Game Player in January 1999.