Alcatel sues Microsoft over patent infringements

MICROSOFT WAS SERVED A WRIT from Alcatel in a Texas district court last week, alleging it has illegally used patents it owns.

The patents are 6,339,830; 6,874,090; and 6,661,799.

The first two relate to "Deterministic user authentication service for communication networks", issued on the 15th of January 2002 and the 29th of March 2005, respectively.

The last is called "Method and Apparatus for Faciltating Peer-to-Peer Application Communication", issued on the 9th of December 2003.

Alcatel alleges that Microsoft provides components from the US used overseas which infringe these patents, causing damage to Alcatel.

Alcatel has already contacted Microsoft about the patents but claims the infringement "has been deliberate and wilful".

It wants treble damages from Microsoft in a jury trial. It wants damages, it wants injunctions, it wants attorney's fees. It wants it all. µ