Court Throws Out Microsoft Win on Keyboard Patents

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A federal appellate court on Tuesday said a lower court erred in invalidating two patents for ergonomic computer keyboards, dealing a blow to Microsoft Corp., which fought to have them voided after being sued by the holder of those patents. TypeRight Keyboard Corp. sued Microsoft in July 1998, claiming that Microsoft's ergonomic keyboards, which split the keys into separate clusters for the left and right hands and have a large wrist-rest, violated its "'441" and "'484" patents.

In June 2000, after Microsoft presented a document from a German company, Marquardt GmbH, that it said proved the concept of such a keyboard predated TypeRight's patent applications, a federal court in southern California granted a Microsoft motion to invalidate the patents. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., said on Tuesday there was a "genuine issue" with the credibility of Microsoft's witnesses and that the judge should not have invalidated the patents given those issues.

News source: Reuters

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(5 replies) #1 nX07 on 06 Jul 2004 - 20:24

The first natural style keyboards I've ever seen where from Microsoft, I think this was a wrong move. But, I don't know obviously as I only really been into them since a few weeks ago, but I do remember seeing my frist was in Late Late 2000 (could've been early early 2001) and it was a white keyboard and was made by Microsoft.

#1.1 HellBender on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:52

Yeah. They give Microsoft a patent for DOUBLE CLICKS but they don't grant MS the patents they deserve.

#1.2 slapnuts_ox on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:57

you call a patent on a commonly used keyboard design a patent they deserve???

#1.3 mgleason007 on 07 Jul 2004 - 00:20

Errr, Microsoft didn't apply for this patent. Or maybe they did, but it's beyond the scope of this article and isn't relevant.

#1.4 wildk on 07 Jul 2004 - 10:36

QUOTE

They give Microsoft a patent for DOUBLE CLICKS

Yeah on Pocket PC devices not on standard mice

#1.5 ScottKin on 08 Jul 2004 - 05:36

I got my first Microsoft Natual Keyboard when I started working with Microsoft on MSN 1.0 - so, you can go back at least to 1995 for that.

--ScottKin

#2 Samoa on 06 Jul 2004 - 21:12

yeah

(1 reply) #3 invaderzim_2004 on 06 Jul 2004 - 21:45

The MS natural keyboard has been sold since '94/'95.

#3.1 dotnetjunkie on 06 Jul 2004 - 22:55

Yes! I'm still typing on it right now!
I bought it in 1995, that's almost 10 years ago now!, and I use it for 13 hours nearly every day!!! Amazing quality

(it's being used very, very intensively!, also for playing Tetrinet, lol)
I think it can work for another 10 years to come!

(2 replies) #4 heffe2001 on 06 Jul 2004 - 21:59

There was an Apple split keyboard way back, it was modular or something like that. It was definitely around before the Microsoft one. BUT I'm by no means a Microsoft hater, as I type this on a Microsoft Wireless Desktop Pro Natural keyboard

#4.1 icecaveman on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:42

Can you give us example of those old apple keyboards? Apple is not known for designing anything ergonomical, they usually sacrificy comfort for appearances, at least on all mices since the first iMacs appeared.

#4.2 heffe2001 on 07 Jul 2004 - 00:53

Here's one for auction on Ebay. Apple apparently came out with it back in '92, and was sued by another manufacturer at the time, and had to stop production.

Apple Adjustable keyboard auction

#5 Cyranthus on 06 Jul 2004 - 22:36

ive had my microsoft split keyboard for a few years now...

#6 Mister Lamar on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:07

I had a microsoft keyboard, but I eventually switched to logitech

#7 Jelly2003 on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:10

Nice to see patient thing is also workign against MS.

(1 reply) #8 akassebaum2 on 06 Jul 2004 - 23:28

It doesn't feel too natural to me!!!! I hate it and can't function with it!

#8.1 heffe2001 on 07 Jul 2004 - 01:53

MOST people who say this haven't given the proper time to get used to it. Once I got used to it, I preferred to type on nothing else. Now if Microsoft would just make a bluetooth wireless version of the Natural keyboard, I'd be set

(2 replies) #9 badall on 07 Jul 2004 - 01:26

one thing i noticed after useing a natural keybaord is that when i use a normal kayboard i can type alot faster than i used too

#9.1 ~*McoreD*~ on 07 Jul 2004 - 11:38

i second that! i have had the exact experience! this is weird.

#9.2 Dessimat0r on 07 Jul 2004 - 13:06

badall: Then it's a pity that you can't spell at all while typing at this speed.

#10 brianshapiro on 07 Jul 2004 - 03:28

i use the keyboard on my laptop . : )

(5 replies) #11 paulhaskew on 07 Jul 2004 - 03:35

another stupid company trying to take a piece of the MS pie... LEAVE MS ALONE!!!!

#11.1 jagedEdge on 07 Jul 2004 - 05:31

The patent holders did nothing wrong. If MS violated a patent, they should take the consequences.

#11.2 Randall_Lind on 07 Jul 2004 - 15:36

Yea if MS doesn't hold the patent then they should have to pay. MS would not let anyone use their now would they?

#11.3 STV on 07 Jul 2004 - 16:10

FAT

STV

#11.4 Randall_Lind on 07 Jul 2004 - 18:21

They just applied to patent Fat last month before that it was open field. MS did that to kill Linux more then anything.

#11.5 Da22in on 08 Jul 2004 - 02:55

die linux die!

I'd like to hear more from this court about the "genuine issue" with the witness' credibility. Did they ever expand on this claim? Evidence?

Microsoft should just buy TypeRight Keyboard Corp...swallow and assilimilate. Bill's got the cash!

(1 reply) #12 iomayho on 07 Jul 2004 - 18:30

who cares..... almost nobody uses those keyboards anyway.....^^

#12.1 enzo on 08 Jul 2004 - 05:22

I agree. It really makes me wonder if this is worth talking about.

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