Microsoft given a fine of $242 million for the Cortana patent lawsuit

A federal jury in Delaware ruled against Microsoft on Friday, finding the company’s Cortana virtual assistant infringed on a patent owned by IPA Technologies. This verdict translates to a huge $242 million payout for Microsoft.

The week-long trial focused on voice recognition technology within Cortana. The jury ultimately sided with IPA, saying that Microsoft’s software violated the company’s patent for computer-communications software.

IPA, a subsidiary of Wi-LAN (jointly owned by Quarterhill and two investment firms), obtained the patent from SRI International’s Siri Inc. Yes, the same technology that formed the foundation for Apple’s Siri virtual assistant.

“We remain confident that Microsoft never infringed on IPA’s patents and will appeal.”

Stated a Microsoft spokesperson. Representatives for IPA and Wi-LAN haven’t yet responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuit, filed by IPA in 2018, initially targeted patents related to personal digital assistants and voice-based data navigation in Microsoft’s technology. The case eventually narrowed down to a single IPA patent, with Microsoft arguing both non-infringement and patent invalidity.

This isn’t the first time IPA has gone after tech giants over its patents. The company previously sued Google and Amazon for similar infringements. While Amazon successfully defended itself in 2021, the case against Google remains ongoing.

This could be a low blow for Microsoft, as they’d have to pay fine for something which is history now. On June 2, 2023, Microsoft announced that it will stop supporting Cortana as a standalone app on Windows in late 2023. 

More here.