Microsoft Loses Bid to Erase $7 Million Database Patent Loss

Microsoft Corp. failed to convince a Manhattan federal court to rule in its favor or grant it a new trial after a jury found it owed an inventor $7 million for infringing his database patent.

Michael Philip Kaufman owns U.S. Patent No. 7,885,981, covering a user-friendly interface for interacting with complex relational computer databases. He alleged that Microsoft’s Dynamic Data function in its Visual Studio software infringed.

Microsoft moved for a post-trial noninfringement ruling or a new trial, arguing Dynamic Data doesn’t infringe the patent for several reasons. But the court rejected Microsoft’s arguments that—among other things—its software didn’t automatically ...