A longstanding lawsuit between Microsoft and the University of California over who invented a lucrative Web-browser technology has prompted Microsoft to issue an update to its popular Web browser, Internet Explorer. The update is designed to help shield Microsoft from liability should the University of California prevail in its continuing litigation against the software company.
The university won a $521-million judgment against Microsoft in 2003 for patent infringement, but that ruling was suspended a year ago. A district court is expected to hold a new trial on the issue later this year. Meanwhile the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has concluded that the university holds the patent on the Web-browser technology.
For more on the patent dispute, see an article from The Chronicle by Andrea L. Foster.
