Microsoft Hit With $1.5bn Patent Ruling
A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Microsoft to pay $1.5bn to Alcatel-Lucent in a patent dispute over MP3 audio technology used in Windows.
Microsoft believes that they properly licensed the MP3 technology from Fraunhofer, which helped develop the MP3 compression technology along with Lucent's Bell Labs.
This ruling could have larger implications, with Lucewnt being free to go after anyone using mp3 in their products. One thing I do know, the only people really benefiting from this are the Lawyers. They make money win or lose. Who's next Apple, Sony, Creative, Intel?...
Has it become time for us to re-examine Patent and other intellectual property laws? Some say that the Patent system itself is the biggest area where IP needs to be reformed. We've seen plenty of evidence of this over the years.
Microsoft believes that they properly licensed the MP3 technology from Fraunhofer, which helped develop the MP3 compression technology along with Lucent's Bell Labs.
This ruling could have larger implications, with Lucewnt being free to go after anyone using mp3 in their products. One thing I do know, the only people really benefiting from this are the Lawyers. They make money win or lose. Who's next Apple, Sony, Creative, Intel?...
Has it become time for us to re-examine Patent and other intellectual property laws? Some say that the Patent system itself is the biggest area where IP needs to be reformed. We've seen plenty of evidence of this over the years.
posted by Mario Georgiou @ 11:04 AM
