Intertrust v. Microsoft
Overview
After the Santa Clara technology company Intertrust filed suit against Microsoft claiming infringement of its digital rights management (DRM) intellectual property, it turned to The Focal Point for assistance in what Fortune magazine described as “the biggest patent case ever.”
The Focal Point’s Role
The Focal Point worked with the lawyers and technical consultants to develop a comprehensive tutorial of the technology for Judge Sandra Armstrong. The presentation explained the evolution of software distribution, the necessity and application of DRM technology within the industry, and how Intertrust’s “security toolbox” provided integrated digital policy management to facilitate trusted computing.
Result
The tutorial and related graphics presented at the subsequent Markman Hearing led to a resounding ruling favoring Intertrust’s interpretation of the patents at issue. Shortly thereafter, Microsoft paid $440 million to Intertrust to settle this dispute.
Court
US District Court for the Northern District of California
The Focal Point’s Clients
Douglas Derwin
Jeff McDow
Michael Page
