Microsoft Faces Patent Infringement Case On Windows ‘Live Tiles’

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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is facing a patent infringement case related to the recently launched Windows 8 “tiles” technology.

SurfCast, an operating systems technology designer from Portland, Maine filed the complaint claiming that the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) violated its patent no. 6,724,403 entitled “System and Method for Simultaneous Display of Multiple Information Sources”, by making, using, selling, and offering to sell devices and software products covered by its patent, including PCs, phones, tablet among others.

Microsoft Faces Patent Infringement Case On Windows 'Live Tiles'

According to SurfCast, the ‘403 patent was issued by the United States Patent Office (USPTO) on April 20, 2004. The company obtained its rights on the simultaneous display technology from the inventors by virtue of assignment in 2001.

SurfCast pointed out in its complaint that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) knew as early as April 21, 2009 that the patent ‘403 exists, because it was cited by the patent examiner as a relevant prior art of the patent no 7,933,632 entitled “Tile Space User Interface for Mobile Devices,” when the search engine giant was processing its patent application.

Microsoft’s’ 632 patent is described as a “user interface for mobile devices to enable data and services available through the mobile device to be represented as a set of tiles maintained in a display space.”

In its website, SurfCast claimed that the inventors of its four patents first developed the grid and tile interface several years ago.

In its website, SurfCast described its tile technology as follows:

Tiles can be thought of as dynamically, updating icons. A Tile is different from an icon, because it can be both selectable, and live—containing refreshed content that provides a real-time or near-real time view of the underlying information. Tiles can provide dynamic bookmarking—an at-a-glance view of the current status of the program, file, or content associated with it. Tiles enable people to have all their content, applications, and resources, regardless of whether on their mobile device, tablet, computer, or in their Cloud — visualized persistently — dynamically updating.

SurfCast alleged that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) willfully infringed its patent, and it is seeking a reasonable payment for damages.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) officially launched its Windows 8 Operating System and Surface tablet last week featuring the tiles interface with the start screen pinner.

 

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