Microsoft is facing a patent lawsuit over its SQL Server
database from software patent firm Timeline.
The case is the latest in a string of patent disputes brought
against the software giant. In April, Microsoft was ordered to pay
out $115m (£64m) to David Colvin, the founder of Z4 Technologies,
in a patent dispute over anti-piracy software.
Timeline has terminated a limited licence agreement with
Microsoft and has filed papers in the US courts asking that
Microsoft be added as a defendant in an existing case against
business intelligence software firm ProClarity.
In its complaint, Timeline alleges that Microsoft SQL Server
infringes its patents by creating databases for online analytical
processing (OLAP).
Timeline also claims the software giant breached the terms of a
1999 agreement that gave it a limited licence under Timeline's
patents. The 1999 deal has already been the subject of legal
action, with a 2002 appeal court ruling in favour of Timeline.
Charles Osenbaugh, chief executive of Timeline, said, “The cash
component paid by Microsoft under the 1999 agreement was only a
portion of the total consideration. Microsoft failed to honour the
limited scope of the licence as decided by the Court of
Appeals.
“It also failed to comply with other important provisions of the
agreement. Because Microsoft has so clearly disregarded its
obligations under the agreement, Timeline believes it is within its
rights to terminate the licence and seek damages for infringement
of its patents.”
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