Court: Microsoft OK to sell Word during appeal

By Associated Press

Summary

The U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit says Microsoft Corp. can keep selling its Word desktop software as it appeals an unfavorable patent ruling.

Story Published: Sep 3, 2009 at 3:32 PM PST

Story Updated: Sep 3, 2009 at 3:32 PM PST

Court: Microsoft OK to sell Word during appeal

The Microsoft booth is shown at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

SEATTLE (AP) - The U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit says Microsoft Corp. can keep selling its Word desktop software as it appeals an unfavorable patent ruling.

In May, a Texas district court said some versions of Microsoft's word processing software infringe on a Canadian technology company's patent. The dispute is over the way Word 2003 and Word 2007 let users customize document encoding.

The Texas judge had ordered Microsoft to pay Toronto-based i4i LLP $290 million and stop selling infringing versions of Word by the middle of October.

Redmond-based Microsoft has appealed the ruling and is set to present arguments on Sept. 23.

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