Judge denies Motorola’s demand for billions in patent fees from Microsoft

U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday determined that Google’s Motorola Mobility unit was not entitled to the $4 billion per year it sought from Microsoft for its standard-essential patents. Motorola was seeking royalties from Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system, which utilizes the company’s technology concerning video decoding wireless connectivity. Instead of the $4 billion per year Google had valued Motorola’s patents, the judge decided that the appropriate annual payment was closer to $1.8 million. “This decision is good for consumers because it ensures patented technology committed to standards remains affordable for everyone,” David Howard, deputy general counsel for Microsoft, said in a statement to Bloomberg. Robart’s ruling comes as a significant blow to Google, which bought Motorola for $12.5 billion



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