and Eolas is just part of it. Last year, one of Microsoft's File Allocation Table (FAT) patents was called into question by the USPTO and is currently under review.
Now, there's more. Last week additional challenges to Microsoft patents were filed with the USPTO. One of the challenges concerns the same FAT patent brought under scrutiny last year (US#5,579,517). Basically, another expert is contesting the validity of this patent on entirely new grounds.
The second request is a challenge to another Microsoft FAT patent (US#5,758,352). That's three challenges to the Microsoft FAT patent family in the US in less than one year.
What kind of leverage can Microsoft have to drive reform if the basics are questionable to begin with?
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and Eolas is just part of it. Last year, one of Microsoft's File Allocation Table (FAT) patents was called into question by the USPTO and is currently under review.
w eek09/patrequ.htm/
Now, there's more. Last week additional challenges to Microsoft patents were filed with the USPTO. One of the challenges concerns the same FAT patent brought under scrutiny last year (US#5,579,517). Basically, another expert is contesting the validity of this patent on entirely new grounds.
The second request is a challenge to another Microsoft FAT patent (US#5,758,352). That's three challenges to the Microsoft FAT patent family in the US in less than one year.
What kind of leverage can Microsoft have to drive reform if the basics are questionable to begin with?
Check out this report from the USPTO's Official Gazette from March 1 for details on the new patent challenges.
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/og/2005/