Intellectual property Toolkit

Story: Lawyer: Microsoft patent claims won't affect UK

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Microsoft's EP(UK) patents

I agree that the area of software patents is difficult. The article is, however, misleading not merely because of the inaccurate count of patents, but because it also quotes a "leading lawyer" as saying that Microsoft's patents do not cover the UK. They may well do, but we cannot know until the patents are identified.

I do not have the time to go through each of the 1933 (at the last count) applications to see which have been granted, in what form, and whether they are currently in force in the UK, so I'm afraid I can't answer the question as to the significance of what Microsoft does hold. I am sure, however, that they will have fought, or will be fighting, for every one of them to have the widest possible scope. Unfortunately, the EPO is very slow at granting patents, so some of the applications will be in 'limbo', with an uncertain scope, for a while yet.

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