Microsoft Corporation v Datel Design and Development Inc., et al
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
Case No. 2:2010cv02065, Filed On December 23, 2010
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
Case No. 2:2010cv02065, Filed On December 23, 2010
During December of 2011, a settlement was reached in an
antitrust and patent infringement dispute between Microsoft and Datel Design
and Development Ltd that began in 2009. To
summarize the details of this battle covered partially in a previous post, Microsoft
implemented an update to its Xbox 360 system that prevented Datel’s memory
cards from working with the console.
Datel sued Microsoft in 2009, claiming that Microsoft’s actions were
anticompetitive and in violation of federal antitrust law. In 2010, Microsoft initiated a lawsuit of its
own against Datel, claiming that Datel’s Turbofire and WildFire Xbox 360
controllers infringed its patent that covers the communication between a gaming
console and a wireless accessory (U.S. Patent No. 7,787,411). Datel agreed to stop manufacturing and
importing the offending devices, however Microsoft still sought compensatory damages
from past infringement despite dropping the infringement case. Finally, in December of 2011, Microsoft and
Datel reached a confidential settlement agreement out of court, ending the 2
year antitrust and infringement litigation.
