These patent lawsuit rulings nowadays keep getting grayer and grayer.
Apple
Since the patent suits typically involve handfuls of patents, when the International Trade Commission makes a ruling, it's been splitting the difference and finding infringement on some but not all of the allegations. That's what led to HTC's confident feeling even as the ITC sided with Apple on some patents, since it would remove the infringing functions, and it's also why Motorola is pleased even though the ITC has said it infringes on some of Mr. Softy's intellectual property.
In this case, the ITC found Motorola guilty of infringing on a Microsoft patent covering scheduling events and syncing calendars. Microsoft took the chance to coax the soon-to-be Google
There's no word on whether Motorola will be signing a deal with Microsoft and joining fellow Android vendors. Motorola General Counsel Scott Offer told AllThingsD: "We view it as a huge win for us. They had, originally, nine patents in their first case. They are down to one patent, effectively." He also said the company is still reviewing its options. It has some time to mull it over, since there's another hearing before any potential injunction is imposed on the gadget purveyor.
In the meantime, Microsoft continues to hound Barnes & Noble
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