Microsoft Issues Word XML Patch After i4i Court Victory

Microsoft Corp. was quick to respond to a court ruling that staves it off from selling some specific versions of its signature Word program, over the allegations that it had violated patents held by a Canadian software firm.

The software giant has already issued a patch, codenamed as ‘the Office OPK Master Kit Download’, which eliminates the contentious XML editing feature from its Word program, after a Texas Court gave decision in favour of Toronto-based i4i Inc in a patent-related case.

The patch will be delivered to large PC manufacturers that install MS Office on new computers before they are dispatched to retailers and customers.

The court ordered the software maker to pay $290 million in damages to i4i, and directed Microsoft that it couldn’t sell copies of Word 2007 unless the required changes are made to the program. 

The US District Court for Eastern Texas has actually upheld a ruling from a smaller court in the patent case filed in 2007.

I4i Inc filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in 2007, alleging that XML Editor incorporated in the Word software is actually infringing the patent.

The court issued an injunction against the sales of Microsoft Word 2007 in August, and eventually gave verdict in favour of i4i.