Sony? Nope. According to
this article, Andreas Pavel, a German living in São Paulo, invented it in February 1972.
Even though he patented it in Italy, United States, Germany, England and Japan, it took until 2003 for Sony to settle up. This is partially because he wanted credit, in addition to money, and Sony didn't want to do that.
The first piece of music Pavel used to test his new invention? "Push Push," a collaboration between the jazz flutist Herbie Mann and the blues-rock guitarist Duane Allman.
