Microsoft sues Motorola for patent infringement

Microsoft, the world's largest software company, filed a lawsuit against Motorola in a federal court in Seattle, and also brought a complaint before the International Trade Commission.

Microsoft’s allegations against Motorola
The software giant has accused Motorola of infringing nine patents related to synchronizing e-mail, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power.

The complaint cited Motorola's Droid 2 phone as one example.

If any violation is found on part of Motorola, the U.S. International Trade Commission could put a ban on the phone imports. Also, Microsoft is seeking unspecified cash compensation through its case in the court.

The Redmond, Washington-based company, which makes its own Windows phone software, charges handset makers to make use of it in their phones.

Motorola, like some other companies, moved over to Google's free Android, which caused some strain in the relationship between the two companies.

“We are disappointed that Microsoft prefers to compete over old patents rather than new products,” said Aaron Zamost, a Google spokesman.

“We have a responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year in bringing innovative software products and services to market,” Microsoft deputy general counsel Horacio Gutierrez said in a statement.

Within 10 days, Microsoft plans to unveil the new version of its mobile software, with which, it hopes to win back some market share from Apple Inc.’s iPhone and some other phones with Google Inc.’s Android software.

The Schaumburg, Illinois-based Motorola, said it had not seen the complaint yet, and refused to comment on the details.

“Motorola has a leading intellectual property portfolio, one of the strongest in the industry,” the company said in an e-mail. The cell-phone giant plans to “vigorously defend itself.”

Google disappointed
Though Google is not a party in the case, it expressed disappointment at Microsoft’s move.

The search giant said it will “stand behind the Android platform and the partners who have helped us to develop it.”

“We are disappointed that Microsoft prefers to compete over old patents rather than new products,” said Aaron Zamost, a Google spokesman. “Sweeping software patent claims like these threaten innovation.”

Gutierrez defended Microsoft’s action, saying the company “merely seeks to ensure respect for our intellectual property rights infringed by Android devices."

“Judging by the recent actions by Apple and Oracle, we are not alone in this respect,” he said.