Microsoft hard drive FAT claims probed

SOFTWARE GIANT Microsoft should have no patent rights on hard drive FAT technology, a watch dog has barked.

The Public Patent Foundation has asked the US Patent Office to review Microsoft's software patent covering the FAT (file allocation table) system on hard drives, and Primary Examiner Charles Rones from the US Patent Office has apparently agreed.

Some previous software patents have already been issued on the same technology, which means that Microsoft could well have been beaten to the punch. The US patent office is now beginning the process of re-examining Microsoft's patent.

Daniel Ravicher, the Public Patent foundation's executive director said awarding Microsoft the patent could cause immeasurable injury to the public. µ

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