In a $242 million lawsuit VirnetX alleges Microsoft’s Office Communicator and other products infringed upon its patents on technology for automatic and secure virtual private networks, or VPNs. On March 17th, Microsoft attorney Matthew Powers, of Weil Gotshal & Manges, cross-examined computers expert witness Mark T. Jones, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Virginia Tech who testified in favor of VirnetX.
The Scotts Valley, Calif., company of 12 employees alleges Microsoft infringed two of its patents – Nos. 6,502,135 and 7,188,180 – on technology for secure and automatic virtual private networks, or VPNs. In its defense, Microsoft is arguing that the patents are invalid largely because the technology was obvious – in this sense, a legal term – and that Microsoft’s Windows XP, Windows Vista, Office Live Communicator and other products did not infringe.
For more, see seattlepi.com.