Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster has noted that the software giant has settled a patent infringement lawsuit relating to multiplayer online through the Xbox 360.
The lawsuit had been brought forward by PalTalk, and the plaintiff wanted over $90 million USD in royalties. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
The case ended in an “amicable agreement” however, says Microsoft.
“The parties have settled the case, and PalTalk is quite pleased with the outcome,” added Max Tribble, a PalTalk lawyer.
PalTalk told the courts last week that “the Halo franchise as well as both the original Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles made use of patents owned by PalTalk.”
GI.biz explains that the patents in question “were said to cover ways in which multiple computers could interact with each other, specifically for use in multiplayer games, which Microsoft had dismissed the claims as being for outmoded dial-up connections, adding “the patents don’t cover the way the Halo games work.”
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A federal judge has denied Microsoft’s appeal in one of five patent cases brought against it by Alcatel-Lucent and says the software giant will have to pay $511.6 million USD in damages and interest.
In April a jury awarded Lucent $357.7 million USD and Microsoft had asked the judge to reconsider the award. Judge Marilyn L. Huff denied that request however and increased the damages payable. She said the new amount accounts for “prejudgment interest to compensate for how long it took to resolve the matter.”
“We are disappointed that Judge Huff denied our request for a new trial,” said Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster, in an e-mailed statement. “We plan to appeal the rulings against us. We are confident that the damages award against Microsoft will not be sustained on appeal.”
“We had always believed we had a strong case and are pleased that the judge agreed that the jury’s thoughtful verdict was well reasoned and supported by the evidence presented during the more than monthlong trial on these two patents,” said Alcatel-Lucent spokeswoman Mary Lou Ambrus in an e-mailed statement.
Alcatel-Lucent had filed five suits against Microsoft in 2003, over a plethora of different patents and has so far won most of the cases, with huge multi-million dollar damages awards as well.
