Alcatel, the French broadband equipment maker, is suing Microsoft for infringing on patents involving digital video technology. In two lawsuits, 6:06-CV-499 and 6:06-CV-500, filed Nov. 17 in federal court in Tyler, Texas, Alcatel went after Microsoft over seven U.S. patents covering PVR-like digital video functions, voice-over-Internet-protocol and network security technologies.
The filings ask the court to stop the infringement and provide cash compensation and legal fees. The lawsuits were filed by Alcatel's U.S. subsidiary based in Plano, Texas, in the United States Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Alcatel worked with the Redmond, Wash. software behemoth on Microsoft TV IPTV Edition, which includes a functions like those in the some of disputed patents. Microsoft is also involved in patent litigation with Lucent Technologies over the MPEG-2 processing in the Xbox 360. Alcatel is in the process of buying Murray Hills, N.J.-based Lucent for $11.8 billion. Forbes reported that Alcatel filed suit the same day President George Bush approved the merger.
