Microsoft Withdraws Patent Infringement Claim Against Datel

According to Bloomberg, Microsoft plans to withdraw its patent infringement claims (337-715, U.S. International Trade Commission - Washington D.C.) against Datel Design & Development Ltd. over controllers for the Xbox 360. In response to the patent lawsuit, Datel took it upon itself to simply redesigned its controllers and stopped importing earlier versions of the TurboFire2 Xbox 360 Wireless that were the at the center of Microsoft's complaint filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington. In a recent filing dated August 29, Microsoft asked to withdraw the case. The company did say that it still plans pursue compensation for past infringement through a civil lawsuit filed against Datel last year.

"Datel’s voluntary exclusion of the accused products from the U.S. market has obviated the need to devote valuable public and private resources," the company said in its filing.

Datel filed an antitrust lawsuit in November (Datel Holdings Ltd. v. Microsoft Corp., 09cv5535, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California - San Francisco) against Microsoft, claiming the company was monopolizing the markets for accessories not sold directly with the Xbox. That case is ongoing.

Source: Bloomberg