Alcatel-Lucent got the jackpot

Microsoft lost the first of six patent lawsuits brought by Alcatel-Lucent on conversion of audio into digital MP3 format. Alcatel-Lucent got the jackpot of $1.5bn, to be paid by Microsoft as ordered by the court. Microsoft is said to infringe Lucent patents within its Windows Media Player. What this judgment reveals is that Alcatel-Lucent can now sue many media companies that use MP3. Microsoft will certainly appeal of the decision. But Microsoft is also embarked in five other patent lawsuits against Alcatel-Lucent and one with AT&T on voice compression technology patent.