Go ahead and clean up the coffee you just spit all over your keyboard. We’ll wait. Back? OK. A judge in Texas ruled that Microsoft Word’s XML systems violate patents by Toronoto-based i4i Inc. Word uses XML in reading and writing XML, DOCX, and DOCM files.
The lawsuit alleges that MS violated i4i’s 1998 XML patent #5,787,449. The injunction will go into effect in 60 days and prevent Microsoft from selling or demonstrating Microsoft Word. MS will have to pay i4i about $290 million in damages.
The lawsuit alleges that MS violated i4i’s 1998 XML patent #5,787,449. The injunction will go into effect in 60 days and prevent Microsoft from selling or demonstrating Microsoft Word. MS will have to pay i4i about $290 million in damages.
http://viewer.docstoc.com/
20090811i4icomplaint –
Says Microsoft:
“We are disappointed by the court’s ruling,” Microsoft spokesman Kevin Kutz said in a statement. “We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid. We will appeal the verdict.”
Obviously this will probably be fixed by the time the 60 days are up – this is Microsoft, after all. Mike’s the lawyer here but I suspect this will be held up in appeals and i4i will probably satiated with a little cash.
[via Seattlepi]
