Tech giants back Microsoft in changing patent litigation

"An impressive list of industry heavyweights filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court today to back up Microsoft in its bid to change a central standard by which patent-infringement lawsuits are won and lost.

"When Microsoft appealed to the Supreme Court in August, in a last-ditch effort to reverse a $290 million award to i4i Inc., the software giant also called on the high court to reconsider how the nation's judicial system determines the validity of patents.

"Today's amicus curiae ("friend of the court") briefs -- filed by the likes of Google, Apple, Intel, Yahoo, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Facebook, Walmart, Toyota and more -- support Microsoft's effort to make the infringement standard more defendant-friendly and ward off patent trolls."

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