Tag: microsoft mobile

Patent licensing company, InterDigital has won the case according to U.S. International Trade Commission judge decision.

The latest round of potentially very expensive legal battle over patents relating to Microsoft phones has now been lost by the company as a U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) judge has ruled in favor of InterDigital Inc.

InterDigital sued Microsoft with claims that its patents for mobile devices were being used without permission.

The judge in question, Theodore Essex, decided that the Microsoft phones were infringing on two different patents having to do with wireless cellular technology and that were owned by InterDigital, a patent licensor that has been accused of being a “patent troll”. The judge also ruled that banning Microsoft from importing those mobile devices into the United States would not be against public interest.

Before the ruling against Microsoft phones is set in stone, it must first be reviewed by the full commission.

This means that the entire committee will first need to conduct a review on the case before Microsoft mobile devices can be banned from being imported. The ITC does have the authority that would be required to implement such a ban if it decides that a U.S. patent has been infringed upon.

It has become common practice for many companies to sue through the ITC in order to be able to win damages as well as to be able to put an import ban into place within a district court. InterDigital is based in Wilmington, Delaware and had initially made its accusations of patent infringements against Nokia Corp, in 2007. That said, in 2014, Microsoft purchased the handset division at Nokia, and InterDigital shifted its attentions to that new company.

The patents involved in this lawsuit have to do with the way that the power of a Microsoft phone is moderated in order to be able to reduce interference with the device signal. Originally, Nokia was cleared of infringement by the ITC, but that decision was later overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in 2012. That is the top patent court in the United States, and it has caused the ITC to have to take a look at the decision, yet again.

Microsoft rumors hint at future Xbox devices

There have been rumors circulating concerning Microsoft’s plans for the future of console gaming. The famed technology company has been stirring the proverbial pot with vague news regarding the Xbox 720, the next generation gaming console that is expected to be released at some point in 2013. Much of the information that surrounds the new console comes in the form of rumor, however, and the nature of rumors means that some of this information is able to garner a significant amount of attention.

Mobile gaming catches the eye of Microsoft

It is no secret that Microsoft has invested heavily in the mobile technology sector. The company is behind Windows Phone, after all. Microsoft’s interest in this sector expands beyond just mobile devices, however, as the company has a keen focus on mobile gaming. Rumors suggest that Microsoft is gearing to take its interest in mobile devices and gaming to the next level with the development of an Xbox tablet and Xbox smart phone.

Xbox tablet may be in the works

If the rumors are accurate, the Xbox tablet could be another avenue through which Microsoft engages mobile consumers. The company has already hinted at the possibility of incorporating mobile devices into the Xbox platform through the introduction of Smart Glass. The Xbox 720 may have profound support for mobile devices, such as tablets, that could allow the platform to provide gamers with a wide assortment of mobile games that they can take wherever they go. The tablet may also be able to play games that have traditionally been exclusive to the console platform.

Company may be developing new smart phone with Xbox capabilities

Microsoft is already known to be working on a new smart phone that it plans to enter into the market within the next few years. The device is referred to as the Surface Phone and will boast of various features that may make it competitive in the current market. Whether it will have Xbox capabilities has yet to be confirmed, but Microsoft has shown some interest in incorporating a smart phone device into the Xbox platform.