Microsoft Off the Hook |for $388M Jury Verdict

(CN) – Microsoft Corp. did not violate a patent held by anti-virus software maker Uniloc, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Tuesday, overturning a $388 million award against Microsoft.     In a one-page order, U.S. District Judge William Smith vacated an April jury [verdict](http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/09/30/Microsoft verdict.pdf) for Uniloc and its Singapore-based parent company.      The $388 million award, also vacated, would have been one of the largest awarded in a civil patent case.     Uniloc sued Microsoft in 2003, claiming it infringed Uniloc’s patented security software and used it to keep people from pirating Windows XP and parts of its Office products.     A Microsoft spokesman said the company was pleased with the ruling.