Microsoft settles patent case with mouse maker
Published: 18 Dec 2008 12:19 GMT
Microsoft on Wednesday announced it has reached a settlement agreement with Primax Electronics, a mouse maker that the software company sued in July for patent infringement.
As part of the settlement, Primax has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement that covers Microsoft's patents for U2 and Tilt Wheel technology, for both past and future sales of relevant Primax products in the US. The rest of the settlement terms are confidential.
Microsoft sued the Taiwan-based company over seven patents related to U2 technology, which allows a mouse to connect to either a PS/2 or USB port and automatically detect which is being used, and Tilt Wheel technology, which relates to cursor movements accomplished through tilting a mouse.
The suit, brought before the US District Court in Northern California and the International Trade Commission, sought to bar infringing Primax products from entering the US.
The software giant began licensing its patents in late 2003 and now has more than 500 licensing agreements in place. There are more than 30 licensees from the mouse and keyboard industry in the patent-licensing programme that covers Microsoft's U2 and Tilt Wheel.
Microsoft had made repeated attempts to arrange a licensing agreement with Primax before pursuing litigation, the software maker said.
"[Intellectual property] collaboration encourages shared industry success by allowing licensees to incorporate innovative technologies, powered by Microsoft IP, into their products to provide enhanced features to their customers," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's vice president and deputy general counsel of intellectual property and licensing.
Credit: Microsoft settles with mouse maker from CNET News.com
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