Motorola Mobility Claims Patent Win Against Microsoft
DECEMBER 20, 2011, 10:57 P.M. ET
online.wsj.com
-- Judge rules in favor of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc on six of seven Microsoft Corp patents
-- Court also finds Motorola did violate one of the software giant's mobile-device innovations
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By Steven D. Jones
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
An administrative law judge has ruled in favor of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (MMI) on six of seven Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) patents, but found that Motorola did violate one of the software giant's mobile-device innovations.
The mobile phone maker touted the initial determination from the U.S. International Trade Commission and said it would work to remedy the cause of a ruling against it on the patent that covers scheduling events and synchronizing calendars from a mobile device. Microsoft made four specific claims of infringement of that patent that the judge upheld.
"We are pleased with the ITC's initial determination," said Microsoft deputy general counsel David Howard.
"As Samsung, HTC, Acer and other companies have recognized, respecting others' intellectual property through licensing is the right path forward," Howard said in a statement.
Microsoft Corp. has quietly struck patent-licensing deals with the world's leading handset makers, establishing beachheads it can use to push its Windows Phone 7 operating system. It has not signed a licensing deal with Motorola Mobility.
Over the summer the Redmond, Wash.-based company negotiated licensing agreements with seven hardware companies that use Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android operating system. Microsoft has done this by threatening litigation, cutting deals and leveraging existing relationships.
Microsoft cut a deal in September with Samsung Electronics Co. (005930.SE), the world's second-biggest cellphone maker. In February it partnered with Nokia Corp. (NOK) making Windows Phone Nokia's primary smartphone operating system.
The deals, plus a pact last year with HTC Corp. (2498.TW), represent Microsoft's efforts to expand the presence of Windows Phone 7, a well-regarded but little-used operating system. Microsoft is arriving to market years behind both Android and Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iOS, which have a combined 68.8% of the market, according to ComScore. By comparison, WP7 has about 5%.
The patent ruling comes as Android platform maker Google Inc. (GOOG) completes its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a move that further blurs the competitive landscape among software and hardware companies. Motorola Mobility's patent portfolio is seen as a major driver of Google's roughly $12.5 billion buyout of the company.
Motorola Mobility said Tuesday it continues to press active patent-infringement suits against Microsoft in a number of jurisdictions.
The commission must still deliberate on Tuesday's initial determination and is slated to reach a decision on April 20.
Motorola Mobility shares closed trading Tuesday up one cent to $38.70, while Microsoft traded up 1.9% to $26.02.
-By Steven D. Jones, Dow Jones Newswires, 360-834-1865, steve-d.jones@dowjones.com
--Drew FitzGerald contributed to this story. |
