Timeline sues Microsoft (again)

 

Gallery

By Steve Malone

Posted on 22 Aug 2006 at 13:05

Intellectual property company Timeline has reopened a patent battle with Microsoft.

In a new complaint to a court Timeline alleges that Microsoft SQL Server infringes its patents by creating databases for online analytical processing (OLAP). The complaint also alleges that Microsoft has breached the terms of an earlier agreement that gave it a limited licence to Timeline's patented technology.

In 2002, Microsoft and Timeline had settled a patent infringement suit going back to 1999. At the time Microsoft had a licence to the patents. However, Timeline objected when Microsoft began to sub-license the technology to other companies that added other programs to the database software, such as ProClarity.

Eventually, a Washington Court of Appeals found in favour of Timeline and limited Microsoft's ability to sub-license. Now Microsoft is back in the firing line after Timeline has asked the court to add it as a defendant in the case of Timeline Inc. versus ProClarity Corp.

According to Timeline, the grounds for termination and the reasons for bringing Microsoft into the case are detailed in papers filed with the Court. Timeline is required to file them under seal until and unless the Court decides they can be unsealed. As a result, Timeline says it can give no further details of its grievance.