Kindle blessed by Microsoft over Linux-related patents

“Over 600 firms served

“Since launching its IP licensing program in December 2003,
Microsoft has signed more than 600 licensing agreements (up from
“over 500” only last July), says Microsoft. Embedded Linux firms
that have signed patent agreements with Microsoft include Melco
Holdings, the parent company of Buffalo, which last July settled
over Buffalo’s Linux-based networked-attached storage (NAS) and
router equipment. Before that, Redmond settled with companies
including LG Electronics, Samsung, Fuji Xerox, Kyocera Mita,
Brother International, and most notoriously, TomTom.

“In the latter case, the Dutch vendor of personal navigation
device (PND) devices dared to resist Microsoft, resulting in a
formal lawsuit against the company by Microsoft. This in turn
revealed one of the key sources of the patent conflict: Microsoft’s
claims over the Linux implementation of the FAT file system, for
which Redmond claims to own the patent. In the end, TomTom, too,
was forced to settle.”

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