Motorola drops patent infringement suit against Microsoft

Motorola and Microsoft have put to bed a long legal battle regarding patent infringements within Xbox 360 hardware, regarding video-coding and connectivity tech within the console.

CVG reports that the case, which was effectively thrown out by Judge James Robart last month after ruling that the tech - namely the ability to take the Xbox 360 online and to play video - were Frand innovations necessary to all consoles to allow them to meet consumer expectations, and therefore could not be owned outright by one sole company.

Motorola Mobility - a Google subsidiary - has now dropped two claims against Microsoft. However, as we reported last month, both parties are still in talks to determine a suitable and fair royalty charge for use of Motorola's patents. We'll have more on this particular issue as it happens.

If you missed the legal saga - in which Motorola failed to place a ban on the sale of Xbox 360 consoles - check out our report here.