TomTom Settles With Microsoft

Surrounded writes "It appears TomTom bowed to the pressure and settled with Microsoft over the recent patent infringement claims from the Redmond software giant. In the agreement, TomTom will pay Microsoft for coverage under the eight car navigation and file management systems patents in the Microsoft case. Also as part of the agreement, Microsoft receives coverage under the four patents included in the TomTom counter-suit. TomTom also has to remove functionality related to two file management system patents (the 'FAT LFN patents')."

Comments

Re:this is fail

[clang_jangle]

Being a settlement rather than a judgement, it doesn't set a precedent.

Re:Remove FAT Long File Names?

[Bill_the_Engineer]

The article states:

Microsoft has previously stated that this lawsuit represents an isolated issue and that the company does not intend to broadly sue Linux users.

I remember when the news of the dispute first became known, it was widely speculated that TomTom threatened Microsoft with some possible patent infringements made by Microsoft Streets, and Microsoft threaten to defend itself by making enforcing a patent claim on FAT.

In other words, TomTom tried to get a better deal, Microsoft called their bluff, and TomTom folded their hand.