Microsoft to pay $290 million fine for patent infringement

The US Supreme Court upheld a previous decision ordering Microsoft to pay a $290 million fine. The fine was based on the company's infringement of patents owned by the Canadian firm i4i.

As a reminder, the conflict between the largest software corporation and i4i erupted back in 2007. i4i filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, accusing the giant of infringing the company's patents when using the XML standard in Microsoft Word 2003 and Word 2007.

Back in August 2009, a US court found Microsoft guilty and ordered the corporation to halt sales of Word in the US. The company appealed, but also lost.

Recently, a hearing of the Supreme Court, the highest court, was held, which found the corporation guilty.

Large companies often receive such patent claims. Small firms that file such lawsuits are also called patent trolls. IT market leaders believe that the time is ripe in the US.the need for patent reform, which will protect large companies from patent trolls.