The trial in Marshall, Texas, centers on technology for ways to control interactive applications over multiple computers. MPath was "a pioneer in the online video industry in the area of real-time, multiplayer online games," PalTalk lawyer Max Tribble told the jury.
Microsoft said it did review the MPath inventions and chose a different path in developing its games. The technology is for an older dial-up method of communicating between computers, and "the patents don't cover the way the 'Halo' games work," Pritikin said.
"Microsoft decided to go in another direction and work with another company," he told the jury. "Obviously, this was upsetting to PalTalk and its employees."
Microsoft also is challenging the validity of the PalTalk patents and told the jury that, even if it agrees with PalTalk, "the patents aren't worth much, certainly not $90 million."