Microsoft, Apple sued for offering online updates

The lawsuit focuses on Web-enabled software update technology

By David Legard

July 21, 2004 12:00 PM ET

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IDG News Service - London-based BTG PLC announced today that it has filed suit against Microsoft Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. for allegedly infringing a patent that covers Web-enabled software update technologies.
BTG has filed the lawsuit in the U.S. Federal Court in the Northern District of California in conjunction with New York-based Teleshuttle Corp. and Teleshuttle Technologies LLC, the holders of the patent that BTG said is being infringed. BTG holds the worldwide licensing rights to the patent.
The lawsuit charges Microsoft and Apple with infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,557,054, alleging that their operating systems, as well as Microsoft Office products, incorporate the patented technologies.
The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages for past infringing activity and an injunction against future use of the technology.
BTG said it filed the lawsuit because Microsoft and Apple were causing "delay in entering into licensing agreements with BTG on commercially reasonable terms."
In June, BTG said it was actively negotiating with a number of unnamed software vendors about licensing programs to remedy what BTG saw as an infringement of its patents.

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