Microsoft appeals Word ban

[sukishan]

Microsoft appeals Word ban
Could potentially cause "irreparable damage" to Office sales

Microsoft is appealing a recent injunction imposed by a Texan court that banned the software giant from selling copies of Microsoft Word in the US.

Toronto-based i4i originally claimed that Microsoft "willingly violated" a 1998 patent regarding methods for reading XML.

The Canadian company successfully won an injunction against Microsoft which "prohibits Microsoft from selling or importing to the United States any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or DOCM files (XML files) containing custom XML".

60 days to comply

The court gave Microsoft 60 days to comply with its ruling. Microsoft has now requested that deadline be extended in order for it to prepare its appeal against the court's decision.

"Today, Microsoft filed a motion with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to seek an expedited review of its appeal and to stay the permanent injunction while the appeal is pending," said Kevin Kuntz, a spokesman for Microsoft.

"These filings are not unusual in patent cases. As we've maintained throughout this process, we believe the evidence clearly demonstrates that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid."

"i4i will continue to vigorously enforce its patent," said Loudon Owen, chairman of i4i Ltd "We firmly believe the jury verdict and judgment were both fair and correct and we have been vindicated through this process."