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New Zealand businessman Sir Ian Taylor is pulling his company’s graphics from the televised coverage of today’s America’s Cup Challenger series in protest of a Sir Russell Coutts copyright claim.
Photo: Screenshot / TVNZ
In a copyright dispute over augmented reality graphics at Cup races, Coutt’s companies filed an infringement lawsuit against Taylor’s Animation Research Limited before Christmas.
Coutts, an Olympic gold medalist and America’s Cup winner, said he believed his companies owned the graphic patent since 2010.
Today Taylor, who says he originally designed the graphics in 1992 and is the rightful owner, withdrew his Virtual Eye Live graphics feature in protest to Coutts.
He said his company “totally disputes” Coutts’ claim.
The graphics in question cover things like overlapping edges that define the race field, lines in the water, and sponsor names.
“There are elements that remain, we think we would use them today to make it very clear to everyone what we offer.
He said it was a complete surprise to learn that the America’s Cup producer had apparently agreed with Coutts.
“We were hoping the production company would join us in defending our case. We found out yesterday through the media that they had basically made a deal with Russell Coutts and paid him a license fee.”
The graphics feature will only be pulled from today’s coverage, and Virtual Eye 3D graphics will still be delivered, Taylor said.
