Microsoft scores victory in German patent fight with Motorola

Google-owned Motorola Mobility is infringing a Microsoft patent related to text input, a lower regional court in Munich decided. The verdict will result in a sales ban on some phones and Motorola will also be liable for damages if an expected appeal is unsuccessful, the court said. For Microsoft, the verdict in Munich -- which is related to patent EP1040406, which describes a method for handling communication between a keyboard and an application -- is a victory in a series of infringement cases against Motorola in Germany. The injunction and sales ban haven't gone into effect since Motorola gets a chance to appeal the verdict, a spokeswoman at the court said.