Microsoft gets second chance to win patent row against Google
A FEDERAL appeals court last night instructed the US International Trade Commission to reconsider a ruling that gave Google a victory over Microsoft in a patent dispute.
Acting on an appeal by Microsoft, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that the ITC erred in its reasoning when it found that the Google unit Motorola Mobility did not infringe a Microsoft graphical interface patent.
After a critical discussion of the ITC judge’s reasoning, the appeals court said: “This conclusion requires reversal of the 133 patent non-infringement judgment.”
But it also said it agreed with the ITC that Motorola Mobility had successfully changed its smartphones so they no longer infringed the patent.
It also found the ITC was correct in ruling that Motorola Mobility, which was acquired by Google during the legal fight, did not infringe three other patents.