EchoStar Wins Patent Infringement Suit
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/23/2007 2:35:00 AM
EchoStar is breathing a little easier after a Texas District Court ruled in its favor in Forgent Networks $200 million patent infringement suit against it and others.
Forgent had sued cable and satellite operators back in 2005, arguing that the digital video recorders they sold or leased to subscribers violated Forgent's patent.
According to the attorneys for EchoStar, the jury took less than an hour to find that Forgent's patent was invalid and unenforceable.
More than a dozen cable companies named in the suit had already settled with Forgent for tens of millions, according to Echostar's attorneys. Forgent said in a statement that it was "considering its options" after the loss, but continued to "believe in the validity of its patent."
"While others had settled, we always believed Forgent’s patent was invalid, and we appreciate the efforts of Judge Davis and of the jury vindicating our position,’ said David Moskowitz, EVP and General Counsel for EchoStar.
