Motorola isn't going to escape as cleanly as it would like from Microsoft's patent lawsuit campaign. Microsoft has sued Motorola once more in Germany, only this time it's waging a more direct fight against Motorola's owner Google. The lawsuit claims that Motorola devices violate a patent for taking map information from one set and overlaying it with data from another -- a technique that describes Google Maps, not to mention virtually every internet-connected mapping system we know. Details aren't yet available for the devices allegedly at risk, but the accusation would make it harder for Google, Motorola or both to simply code around the problem if they lose. No doubt Microsoft is counting on just that obstacle to have the RAZR maker fall in line with everyone else and take a license just for using Android.

Update: As patent case analyst Florian Mueller notes from his first-hand account, Microsoft quietly filed the lawsuit in April and received its first court hearing today. That's not the biggest news, however: Microsoft amended the lawsuit to include Google itself. While that's virtually necessary under German law to get the testimony Microsoft wants, it also means a rare (if not unique) instance of Microsoft attacking Google directly in court, rather than fighting proxy battles through Android hardware partners.

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Source: Computerworld

Perhaps it's not as loud or high profile as Apple vs. Samsung, but there is another patent war raging that is no less vicious between Motorola and Microsoft. The two have been at each others' throats for a few years now and, while Google has offered an olive branch or two to Apple, we've yet to see a similar gesture made in Redmond's direction. The latest chapter in this saga sees the regional court in Mannheim handing Moto a victory in a complaint filed by Microsoft over a patent relating to a set of mobile phone APIs. Its a rare bright spot for the new Google subsidiary, which has struggled to score legal points both in Germany in the US. Microsoft has scored several injunctions against Motorola products, while the lone ban awarded to the phone manufacturer remains unenforceable pending a breach of contract lawsuit. For a bit more detail dig into the more coverage link.

Update: Microsoft's VP and Deputy General Counsel, David Howard, just issued this statement in response to the ruling.

This decision does not impact multiple injunctions Microsoft has already been awarded and has enforced against Motorola products in Germany. It remains that Motorola is broadly infringing Microsoft's intellectual property, and we hope it will join the vast majority of Android device makers by licensing Microsoft's patents.

Filed under: Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Source: Reuters

In another face of the ever turning world of patent battles, Reuters reports Microsoft has snagged a victory over Motorola as the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in its favor today. Motorola had obtained an injunction in Germany against Microsoft products -- including the Xbox 360 and Windows 7 -- based on its h.264 patents back in May, but today the court upheld a previous decision putting enforcement on hold because of Microsoft's existing lawsuit against Moto for breach of contract. Microsoft's push to leverage its patents into licensing payouts from manufacturers of Android devices have seen the two at each other's throats since at least 2010, when the folks from Redmond lodged an ITC complaint over nine patents and followed up with another suit accusing Motorola of charging unfair license fees for its patents. Motorola fired back with its own pair of lawsuits -- all of this a year before we heard it would be acquired by Google -- and the battle was on. Whether or not this moves us any closer to any resolution remains to be seen, but at least Bavarian gaming consoles are safe, for now.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Google

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Source: Dan Levine (Twitter), Reuters

Motorola and Microsoft are no strangers to the patent war tango, and today marks the third injunction against the Droid maker in the German court. Judge Dr. Guntz of the Munich I regional court ruled that Motorola infringes on a Microsoft patent for "soft input panel system and method," granting Microsoft the ability to ban sales of some Motorola devices in the country. Essentially, the patent in question covers the software required to let applications flexibly receive input from different sources, such as the touchscreen keyboard and voice input.

As Florian Mueller of Foss Patents points out, the functionality covered by this patent is utilized by the vast majority of apps, and among Android device makers only Google-owned Motorola Mobility is not paying Microsoft a patent license for this feature. Microsoft Corporate Vice President David Howard issued a statement with a not-so-subtle dig at the company in question: "We will continue to enforce injunctions against Motorola products in Germany and hope Motorola will join other Android device makers by taking a license to Microsoft's patented inventions." Google can (and most certainly will) appeal the ruling, so the saga continues...

Filed under: Software

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Source: Foss Patents

The latest development in our neverending saga of worldwide patent warfare is a decision by a Mannheim judge banning Motorola's Android devices on the basis that they violate a FAT storage patent owned by Microsoft. FOSSPatents' Florian Mueller tweets that it is the third victory by Microsoft over Motorola, and Microsoft has already issued a triumphant statement of victory which you can read after the break. There's more details about patent EP0618540 on the site -- it deals with common name space for long and short file names -- including a note about an email from Linux creator Linus Torvalds being cited as prior art. Motorola has been swinging its own patents around as well, but most recently a case to ban the Xbox 360 was delayed. We haven't heard from Motorola or Google on this ruling yet or what their response will be -- entering into a licensing agreement or changing the storage system used on their phones are possible options. Microsoft will have to put up a 10 million euro bond to enforce an injunction if it chooses, we'll check back once the other shoe drops.

Update: We've just received Motorola's response -- brief but to the point:"We are in process of reviewing the ruling, and will explore our options including appeal. We don't anticipate an impact on our operations at this time."

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Munich's regional court has ruled that Motorola is infringing one of Microsoft's patents relating to displaying multiple SMS messages. It's one of the sub-cases that's separate to the larger FRAND matters that are raging along in the background, but still has enormous ramifications. Redmond's deputy general counsel, David Howard said that he hoped Motorola would (join over 70 percent of all Android OEMs) license Microsoft's patent portfolio. If Google's latest plaything doesn't start writing cheques, then it's likely to have its handsets banned from Germany, at least in the short term.

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Update: Microsoft's just got in touch to comment on the recent ruling -- it doesn't look like it's over just yet:

"This is one step in a long process, and we are confident that Motorola will eventually be held to its promise to make its standard essential patents available on fair and reasonable terms for the benefit of consumers who enjoy video on the web. Motorola is prohibited from acting on today's decision, and our business in Germany will continue as usual while we appeal this decision and pursue the fundamental issue of Motorola's broken promise. "

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