![Microsoft Forks Out $200 Million For Patent Infringement](https://img-cdn.tnwcdn.com/image?fit=1280%2C720&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2009%2F12%2FSchmidt-Howard.jpg&signature=dc9a73918ea1d5368ad472973f81d2d4)
You hear about a number of patent infringement lawsuits in this job, unsurprisingly few cases result in a decent sum being awarded.
In this case however that is not the case. VirnetX Holding Corp, a realtime communications security technology firm is on the winning end of suing Microsoft for patent infringement and Microsoft is coughing up a hefty $200 million.
VirnetX claimed that Microsoft used two of its US patents, specifically a virtual private network technology used in Microsoft’s Windows and Office communication server products.
TechEye reports that in March of this year, a jury suggested that Microsoft pay out $105.8 million for infringing on the private network VirnetX technology. However, VirnetX went a step further in the same month and alleged infringement of the patents in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008.
The result, VirnetX receives a total of $200 million and Microsoft will obtain a license to the VirnetX patents for its products.
This might be pocket change to Microsoft but for VirnetX it’s a big win that see’s its share price double to hit $7.49.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.