Kinect Protected by Nearly 600 Patents

The groundbreaking Kinect NUI (natural user interface sensor) that Microsoft launched almost a year ago to breathe new life into Xbox 360 consoles is protected by a vast dowry of intellectual property, the software giant revealed.

According to the Redmond company, approximately 600 patents have been filled in an effort to ensure that the technology won’t be replicated by competitors.

Kinect for Xbox 360 was launched on November 4, 2010, and is just a few days away from its first anniversary.

The device packs 3D motion capture, facial and voice recognition, multi-array microphones, depth sensors and an RGB camera, Microsoft revealed, a real steal at $149.

“Within the first 60 days [after launch], Kinect sold more than 8 million sensors, setting the Guinness Book World Record as the fastest-selling consumer electronics device,” revealed Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president, Corporate Communications, Microsoft.