Supreme Court Rejects Microsoft Eolas Appeal

mixmasterjake writes "The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to hear a Microsoft appeal in the software company's ongoing Web browsing patent dispute with the University of California and Eolas Technologies. The dispute arises over the Eolas patent for 'a system allowing a user of a browser program ... to access and execute an embedded program object.' From the article: "With today's decision, the Supreme Court decided not to hear Microsoft's argument relating to how damages in the case should be calculated. Microsoft had been asking the court to reject a previous ruling that damages should be awarded based on Microsoft's U.S. and foreign sales, saying that the Eolas patent should only apply to U.S. products. The Supreme Court did not give a reason for its rejection of Microsoft's appeal."

Comments

Sigh

[Animaniac]

Yet another application of the "maybe if we ignore the problem, the problem will go away itself" mantra the government loves so much. However, I'm not sure whether this case would have allowed the court to tackle software patents.

Re:Doesn't the Chief Justice set the Court's agend

[GigsVT]

Please don't call them libs. Us Libertarians don't want to be associated with socialists.

Re:Absurd Patent

[lightknight]

Umm, why? Eolas passed all the tests (New, unique, original, no prior art). Just because it took forever for the USPTO to grant their patent, and during this course of time their technology became commonplace, does not mean it is any less valid.

And while no browser is immune to this patent (because they are all using stolen technology), does not mean Eolas is going to come after the others. From what I've read, Eolas just wants MS (apparently MS and the univ prof had a prior existing relationship, which led to Eolas really wanting to nail them), so I say, let them have their fun.