The Word patent infringement case between Canadian technology firm i4i Inc. and the American software giant Microsoft will now be fought in the US Supreme Court.

The four-year-old legal battle between the two firms started when the Canadian firm dragged Microsoft to an American court in 2007, claiming that the software giant violated its patent in Word applications.

According to the lawsuit filed by the Canadian firm in a Texas court, Microsoft had violated a patent held by it since 1998.

In 2009, the court decided in favor of the Canadian firm and asked Microsoft to pay $290 million in damages.

Commenting on the issue, the Canadian firm said, "If a mere preponderance of the evidence were to suffice to invalidate a patent in litigation, then the incentive to invest the time and money required to discover and develop new medicines would be substantially reduced.”

Loudon Owen, chairman of i4i Inc., said that the existing, which demanded clear & convincing proof for overturning a court ruling, should be maintained. He added that exclusive intellectual property should be protected & appropriately licensed for others to use.

Legal experts are of the view that the Supreme Court ruling in the case outcome would decide how patent laws protect exclusive technology.