Z4 files New Patent Infringement Suit Against Microsoft

After winning a huge victory againts Microsoft before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (I had reported the verdict was $160M here, this includes the $18M verdict against co-defendant Autodesk, Inc.), Plaintiff Z4 Technologies filed a new infringement lawsuit against Microsoft's Office 2007 and Vista products. The case is filed in The Eastern District of Texas on the same patents. According to Z4's Complaint, “In its Vista and Office 2007 products, Microsoft has made an insignificant change in Product Activation technology found to infringe in [the prior case against Microsoft].” After victory before the Federal Circuit it will be interesting to see where this case goes. According to an article in IP 360, damages have not been estimated and Microsoft denies that its Vista and Office 2007 Products violate the patents. The patents at issue are U.S. Patent Numbers 6,044,471 and 6,785,825. The ‘825 patent, issued in August 2004, is titled “Method for securing software to decrease software piracy” and deals with using an authorization code to enable software. The ‘471 patent, issued in March 2000, has a similar title, “Method and apparatus for securing software to reduce unauthorized use,” and relates to using a password or a series of passwords to operate software. Click here for a link to download the patents.