Friday, February 27, 2009
Microsoft declares its rights to FAT32 file system.
Microsoft corporation submits the judicial claim against the TomTom - manufacturer of navigating devices, accusing the last in infringement of a series of patents. In the claim asserts, that some TomTom products including that work on Linux, violate the right to use of FAT32 file system. The lawsuit lists concrete models of automobile and portable devices where, in opinion Microsoft, contains an infringements.
However, independent observers speak, that the TomTom company has been chosen almost casually from the list as many manufacturers of portable devices use FAT32 file system, moreover support of FAT32 has been introduced in Linux operational system, that possible to consider as infringement of the patent.
The base occasion for the claim is two patents with numbers 5 579 517 and 5 758 352 which describe system of storage and namings of files on the removable or stationary drives. In practice in two patents is described the technology FAT32, and also the return compatibility DOS files is used names system 8+3 (8 letters on the name and 3 on expansion of a file), and Windows where the 8-alphabetic limit has been removed(has been taken off).
In TomTom declare, that they do not agree with the claim of Microsoft and "will resolutely protect" the interests in court. According to Danish company representatives some development were used at creation of a program stuffing for navigating devices, but all of them have been licensed on GPL and in this is not present the fault of the company.
Apparently, in court will be define is this program, which source codes free accessible, break the Microsoft rights or not. It is necessary to note, that precisely the same approach has been used in Amazon Kindle devices, smartphones on the basis of Google Android, Nokia Maemo mobile platform and other devices.
Experts mark, that if the software giant as a result will transfer the claim on Linux OS in business will entered OIN - Open Invention Network which will respond to Microsoft with a series counterclaims about patents.
In 2006 Microsoft has informed, that Linux breaks more than 200 patents, the rights on which belong to the company. However then further statements and threats business is not has gone also claims against Linux has not followed. Besides the patents concern with FAT32 file system, Microsoft also accuses TomTom in infringement of two more patents concerning interfaces of navigators.