Macromedia wins $4.9m in Adobe patent suit

Point. Counterpoint

By ComputerWire • Get more from this author

Posted in Mac Channel, 13th May 2002 09:11 GMT

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Macromedia Inc yesterday said that it won a patent infringement lawsuit it is fighting with rival Adobe Systems Inc, and has been awarded $4.9m damages by the jury, almost twice as much as Adobe was awarded in a related case two weeks ago.

"The score is now Adobe one, Macromedia one, customers zero," said Rob Burgess, CEO of Macromedia. The company has maintained that it was forced into counter-suing after Adobe sued it for infringing upon patents related to configurable user interfaces.

"Adobe is disappointed with the jury's findings in this case," said Bryan Lamkin, senior VP Adobe's graphics business unit. "However, Adobe continues to maintain that there has been no infringement of either patent and plans to appeal the court's decision."

The counter-suit Macromedia had just won related to three patents it owns on blending graphical elements and visual editing of sound waveforms. The jury found a fourth Macromedia patent to be invalid, the firm admitted.

Macromedia will ask the court for an injunction against Adobe's infringement, the company confirmed. In addition, it is to appeal the earlier jury decision that it infringes Adobe's patents.

Adobe, which was awarded damages of $2.8m, has requested an injunction in the first suit. There is also a third patent suit, filed last October by Macromedia, that is due to go to trial in June.

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