Microsoft Sues Barnes & Noble Over Android-Based Nook E-Reader

Microsoft filed suit today against Barnes & Noble and the makers of its Android-based e-reader and tablet devices for patent infringement. The software giant alleges that it's patents cover a range of functions "essential to the user experience." The company specifically cites the way users tab through various screens on the Nook e-reader and the Nook Color tablet, both of which run Android, to find the information they're after, as well as the way they interact with documents and e-books.

"The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft's patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights," Microsoft's Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property & Licensing Horacio Gutierrez says in a press release.

Microsoft says it's tried with no avail to reach licensing agreements with Barnes & Noble and its hardware partners. "Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations and fulfill our responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year to bring great software products and services to market," Gutierrez says.

The suit was filed with the International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington. Microsoft also named Foxconn International Holdings and Inventec Corporation as defendants in the case.

Microsoft previously sued Motorola, alleging that several of its Android devices infringe of Microsoft patents. Microsoft would prefer that companies making Android device follow the lead of its longtime partner HTC, which worked out last year covering its own Android devices.

Despite its many patents, Microsoft rarely sues over infringements. In a blog post, Gutierrez says that this suit is the seventh proactive patent infringement case brought by Microsoft in its 36-year history. "We simply cannot ignore infringement of this scope and scale," Gutierrez writes.