A federal jury in Delaware has ruled against Microsoft in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by IPA Technologies. The verdict, reached after a week-long trial, requires Microsoft to pay IPA $242 million for infringing on a patent related to voice-recognition technology used in its Cortana virtual assistant.
The Patent in Question:
The specific patent in question was originally owned by SRI International’s Siri Inc., the company behind the technology that powers Apple’s Siri virtual assistant. Apple acquired Siri Inc. in 2010. IPA, a subsidiary of patent-licensing company Wi-LAN, later acquired the patent along with others.
IPA’s Claims and Microsoft’s Defense:
IPA filed the lawsuit in 2018, alleging that Microsoft’s Cortana technology violated its patents related to personal digital assistants and voice-based data navigation. The case was eventually narrowed down to focus on a single IPA patent. Microsoft argued throughout the trial that its Cortana technology did not infringe on the patent and that the patent itself was invalid.
The Verdict and Repercussions:
The jury sided with IPA, finding that Microsoft’s Cortana software indeed infringed on their patent rights. This verdict requires Microsoft to pay a hefty $242 million to IPA. Microsoft, however, maintains its innocence and has declared its intention to appeal the decision.
IPA’s Legal Battles and Unanswered Questions:
This is not the first time IPA has taken legal action to defend its patents. The company has previously sued both Google and Amazon over similar patent infringements. While Amazon successfully defended itself in 2021, the case against Google is still ongoing. Representatives for IPA and Wi-LAN have not yet commented on the verdict.
Uncertain Future for Cortana:
The impact of this ruling on Microsoft’s Cortana remains to be seen. While Microsoft can continue to develop and offer Cortana while the appeal is in process, a potential loss on appeal could force them to modify or even discontinue the virtual assistant altogether.
