Microsoft Corp must pay more than USD 140 million for infringing on software patents owned by a Michigan-based technology company, a federal appeals court has ruled.
z4 Technologies Inc sued Microsoft and Autodesk Inc, maker of drafting software, in 2004, claiming the technology they used to activate newly installed software and deter piracy infringed on patents created and owned by David Colvin, the owner of privately held z4.
Commerce Township, Michigan-based z4 argued that Microsoft's Windows XP and Office 2003 suite of productivity software used its patented method of asking computer users to supply two passwords, or authorization codes, before they could fully use new software.
The technology in question also can be used to deactivate software.
In April 2006, a federal jury in East Texas ordered Microsoft to pay USD 115 million to z4, plus attorney fees and USD 25 million for willful patent infringement. Microsoft, which had argued that the patents were invalid, appealed the decision.
The jury also ordered Autodesk to pay USD 18 million to z4.
On November 16, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which considers all patent appeals, upheld the lower court's decision in its entirety.
Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster said Windows Vista and Office 2007 are not affected by the appeals court decision. Bowermaster also said the company does not have to make any technical changes to Windows XP or Office 2003.
Courtesy : Financialexpress.com
Microsoft, Autodesk lose appeal in $158 mn patent
November 29, 2007, 5:44 pmUS online shoppers set record on 'Cyber Monday'
November 29, 2007, 5:39 pm
US online shoppers spent a record USD 733 million in a single day on "Cyber Monday," according to market research firm comScore Inc.
Cyber Monday is the first Monday after Thanksgiving and is considered the start of the online holiday shopping season when consumers return to work and seek deals not found in bricks and mortar retailers.
The spend was 21 per cent up on the same day last year, according to comScore.
The number of online buyers rose 38 per cent from a year ago while the average dollar spend per buyer slipped 12 per cent partly due to deep discounting.
ComScore also attributed that decline to a tendency among new Cyber Monday shoppers to spend less than veteran buyers.
The data also showed that 60 per cent of the money spent on Cyber Monday came from work computers, comScore said.
The research firm added that 44 per cent of Internet users shopped online during Cyber Monday.
The most trafficked sites included those belonging to Amazon.com, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Target Corp, Dell Inc and Best Buy Co Inc, comScore said.
Courtesy : Financialexpress.com
Cyber Monday is the first Monday after Thanksgiving and is considered the start of the online holiday shopping season when consumers return to work and seek deals not found in bricks and mortar retailers.
The spend was 21 per cent up on the same day last year, according to comScore.
The number of online buyers rose 38 per cent from a year ago while the average dollar spend per buyer slipped 12 per cent partly due to deep discounting.
ComScore also attributed that decline to a tendency among new Cyber Monday shoppers to spend less than veteran buyers.
The data also showed that 60 per cent of the money spent on Cyber Monday came from work computers, comScore said.
The research firm added that 44 per cent of Internet users shopped online during Cyber Monday.
The most trafficked sites included those belonging to Amazon.com, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Target Corp, Dell Inc and Best Buy Co Inc, comScore said.
Courtesy : Financialexpress.com
Page :
1