Motorola Mobility has claimed a victory in its patent dispute with Microsoft. The Administrative Law Judge at the US International Trade Commission issued an initial ruling in a suit brought by Microsoft against Motorola. It determined that Motorola Mobility does not violate six of the seven Microsoft patents listed in the suit. The company noted that Microsoft had previously dropped two patents from its original case which included nine patents. Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel at Motorola Mobility, said the ruling may "provide clarity on the definition" of the final patent, helping the company avoid further infringement. Motorola also accused Microsoft of continued infringement of its patent portfolio; the company has started proceedings against Microsoft in a number of jurisdictions, including the ITC. The ALJ's initial determination is subject to further review by the ITC. The final decision in this case, based on the deliberation of the full ITC, is expected by 20 April 2012.
