AllThingsD is reporting that the search giant has withdrawn ITC patent claims against Microsoft over video compression technology the company wants to use with the Xbox and smartphones. With Google’s last year $12.5 billion Motorola acquisition, the company owns two standards-essential patents which Microsoft looking to license in an urge to gain access to the technology.
Microsoft shared through its blog post today discussing on its thoughts about the claim:
The FTC’s order grants Google leeway to seek to block shipments of other firms’ products under circumstances not contemplated by the DOJ/PTO statement. Rather than establish a clear rule that holders of standard essential patents should not seek an injunction against any willing licensee, the FTC’s order allows such lawsuits. In particular, the FTC’s order says (in Section IV.F) that Google may abandon its promise to make its standard essential patents available on reasonable terms with regard to any firm that has tried to obtain an injunction against any product made by Google on the basis of that firm’s standard essential patents. Google can seek a product injunction even if the other firm is willing to take a license to Google’s patents on reasonable terms.
