According to MicroStrategy Inc., a federal court in California has dismissed a lawsuit by Business Objects SA that alleged MicroStrategy infringed its patent on a relational database access system.
The court recently issued a summary judgment in the case between the two business intelligence software vendors, which concerned U.S. Patent No. 5,555,403, entitled “Relational Database Access System Using Semantically Dynamic Objects,” according to a statement by MicroStrategy. Business Objects, in San Jose, Calif., had sought more than US$100 million in the suit.
The court ruled Business Objects’ claims were legally and factually unsupported and that MicroStrategy, in McLean, Va., didn’t infringe the patent, MicroStrategy said in its statement.
Companies use business intelligence software to analyse data about customers, sales and products to improve their business.
Separately, MicroStrategy is suing Business Objects in federal court in Virginia for patent infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets and tortious interference with contractual relations. That case is expected to go to trial late this year or early next year, according to MicroStrategy.
Business Objects said in a prepared statement that it disagrees with the finding and is considering an appeal.