Microsoft Appeals Word XML Patent Ruling

One of the big headlines last week was the court ruling that said Microsoft was no longer allowed to sell Word in the U.S. because it infringed on a patent belonging to i4i.

Aside from the injunction against selling Microsoft Word in the U.S., the Redmond-based company was also told to pay i4i $290 million in damages. Microsoft said it would appeal the ruling and this week we learn that the company has done just that.

Microsoft has filed an emergency motion to block the injunction saying it causes irreparable harm to the company.

 "Even if Microsoft ultimately succeeds on appeal, it will never be able to recoup the funds expended in redesigning and redistributing Word, the sales lost during the period when Word and Office are barred from the market, and the diminished goodwill from Microsoft's many retail and industrial customers."

However, while it all sounds very desperate, a Microsoft spokesperson spoke to PC Pro and said that it was all par for the course. "These filings are not unusual in patent cases," the spokesperson said. "We believe the evidence clearly demonstrates that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid."

As it stands, Microsoft is not allowed to sell or import any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or .DOCM files containing custom XML, in the United States.