Microsoft has won a patent suit against Google’s Motorola unit after the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the Microsoft patent was not same as the technology earlier used in Apple’s Newton personal digital assistant.
The latest ruling comes after Motorola failed to nullify the patent used by Microsoft in an import ban by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) on some of Motorola mobile devices.
Covering the technique mobile devices synchronise calendars with PCs, the patent forms part of the US software major’s ActiveSync software that Motorola Mobility licensed prior to disputes between both the firms.
Microsoft has also filed a lawsuit against US officials for not enforcing the import ban.
Motorola Mobility spokesman Will Moss said that the company is disappointed with this decision but pleased with the overall outcome.
"Microsoft lost on eight of its ‘best’ patents, and this lone opinion does not impact our ability to build great products that people love," Moss said.
In addition, the appeals court also supported a US ITC ruling concerning the same patent, which reported that Microsoft fulfilled the domestic industry requirement for it.
In 2010, Microsoft sued Motorola over alleged import and sale of some of Motorola mobile devices that infringed nine of Microsoft patents, which also include the 566 patent.
