InterTrust Technologies, a small US technology company that
develops digital rights management (DRM) software, yesterday
announced that it is broadening an existing patent infringement
lawsuit against Microsoft such that it now has 144 claims against
the software giant regarding 11 patents “and over 190 separate
infringement scenarios.”25 Jun 2002
Since initially suing Microsoft for patent infringement in April 2001, InterTrust has expanded the lawsuit by adding numerous Microsoft products and services that allegedly use InterTrust's patents for “trusted computing” and DRM.
InterTrust is now seeking an injunction against the following Microsoft products, among others: Windows XP, Office XP, Microsoft .NET, a number of Microsoft .NET-based products and services, Windows Media Player, new embedded products such as Windows CE for automotive, Xbox, and aspects of Microsoft's ActiveX technology. InterTrust is also seeking compensatory and punitive damages for Microsoft's alleged acts of infringement.
Microsoft spokesperson Jim Desler is quoted by ComputerWire, saying of InterTrust: "This company's sole business focus is filing questionable patent lawsuits against us."
InterTrust recently licensed to Sony its entire suite of 24 current patents and 90 pending patent applications for $28.5 million, a deal which, the company argues, supports the validity of its intellectual property rights.