Federal Jury Rules In Favor Of IPA Technologies, Microsoft Ordered To Pay $242 Million For Cortana Patent Infringement

A spokesperson from Microsoft told news agency Reuters, "We remain confident that Microsoft never infringed on IPA's patents and will appeal."

IPA initiated the lawsuit in 2018, alleging that Microsoft infringed upon patents related to personal digital assistants and voice-based data navigation. ( Image Source :Getty )

A federal jury in Delaware recently ruled that Microsoft owes IPA Technologies a substantial sum of $242 million. The decision stemmed from a case where Microsoft's Cortana virtual assistant software was found to have infringed upon an IPA patent. This verdict came after a week-long trial, during which IPA successfully argued that Microsoft's voice-recognition technology violated IPA's patent rights in computer communications software.

IPA Technologies operates as a subsidiary of Wi-LAN, a prominent patent-licensing company that is jointly owned by Quarterhill, a Canadian technology firm, and two investment firms. IPA acquired the patent in question and others from SRI International's Siri Inc., the company behind the Siri virtual assistant technology that Apple acquired in 2010. This lawsuit underscores the complexities and legal battles often seen in the realm of intellectual property rights and technology innovations.

A spokesperson from Microsoft told news agency Reuters, "We remain confident that Microsoft never infringed on IPA's patents and will appeal."

Following the federal jury's decision that Microsoft owes IPA Technologies $242 million, representatives for IPA and Wi-LAN have yet to comment on the verdict.

How Did The Lawsuit Evolve

IPA initiated the lawsuit in 2018, alleging that Microsoft infringed upon patents related to personal digital assistants and voice-based data navigation. The lawsuit initially covered a broader range of patents but was eventually narrowed down to focus on one specific IPA patent. Throughout the legal proceedings, Microsoft maintained that it did not infringe on IPA's patent and also argued that the patent itself was invalid.

It's worth noting that IPA Technologies has been actively involved in patent litigation beyond its case against Microsoft. IPA has also taken legal action against Google and Amazon regarding its patents. Notably, Amazon successfully defended itself against IPA's lawsuit in 2021. Meanwhile, the legal dispute with Google is still ongoing, indicating the complexities and ongoing battles within the tech industry over intellectual property rights.