Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble for patent infringement

Microsoft accuses Barnes & Noble of infringing Microsoft patents with the Google Android operating system. Barnes & Noble is the largest retailer in the US and produces Nook e-readers in the US market.

The lawsuit concerns the reader's operating features, its use of electronic documents, and its built-in internet browser.

Microsoft filed lawsuits in the Washington District Court and the U.S. International Trade Commission. The lawsuits were filed against Barnes & Noble itself, as well as against the direct manufacturers of these e-readers, the Taiwanese companies Foxconn and Inventec.

Microsoft is already suing Motorola for violating its patents in smartphones running the Android operating system.

As a reminder, Barnes & Noble has been producing its e-readers since 2009. Last year, the company launched the Nook Color e-reader with a seven-inch color touchscreen.