US high court rejects Microsoft patent appeal

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court has turned down Microsoft Corp's appeal of a jury verdict that it infringed on Paris-based company's patent.

The justices said Monday they will not intervene in Microsoft's legal fight with French commuications equipment maker d Alcatel-Lucent. The disputed patent covers a method of entering information into fields on a computer screen without using a keyboard. Alcatel-Lucent says Microsoft's Outlook calendar and other programs illegally used this technology.

A US appeals court already has ordered the trial court to reconsider the $358 million in damages the jury awarded to Alcatel-Lucent.