World Economic

Toronto-based software developer i4i LP expressed confidence yesterday that it will emerge victorious in its patent dispute with Microsoft Corp. despite being handed a setback by a court in Seattle.

"To paraphrase the great heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, they can run, but they can’t hide; Microsoft’s time will eventually run out," i4i chairman Loudon Owen said in in response to the U.S. court’s decision to grant a stay of an injunction against Microsoft in the case.

In May, a Texas district court found some versions of Microsoft Word infringe on i4i’s patents. The dispute is over the way Word 2003 and Word 2007 word-processing software lets users customize document encoding.

The Texas judge ordered Microsoft to pay i4i $290 million (U.S.) and to stop selling infringing versions of Word by the middle of October.

But in launching its appeal of the decision, Microsoft also filed an emergency motion seeking more time to redesign Word and Office to comply with the Texas court order used auto loans.

In a ruling Thursday, the U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit in Seattle said Microsoft Corp. can keep selling the disputed versions of its Word desktop software while the appeal goes ahead.

"Microsoft claims it may have to stop distributing Word and Office in the U.S. market until it can redesign both products," Owen said. "(But) Microsoft’s scare tactics about the consequences of the injunction cannot shield it from the imminent review of the case by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeal."

Microsoft filed an opening brief in its appeal late last month and i4i’s responding brief is due Monday . The appeal is to be heard Sept. 23.

The Canadian Press

Source