Limelight Loses Patent Infringement Suit With Akamai
Feb 29th, 2008 | By Elisabeth Lewin | Category: General, Podcast Distribution, Podcasting Networks 
Akamai Technologies, which provides technology for the distribution of digital media like podcasts, announced that a jury returned a verdict today in its lawsuit against Limelight Networks. The judgement found that Limelight was infringing on Akamai’s content delivery patent. As a result, the jury awarded Akamai a staggering $45,526,946 in damages, plus interest.
The verdict, which came at the end of a three-week trial in Boston, stemmed from a 2006 lawsuit filed by Akamai. The jury found that Limelight infringed all four of the claims that Akamai had asserted in its Internet content delivery patent, issued in the name of Akamai founders Tom Leighton and the late Daniel Lewin (no relation to the PodcastingNews Lewins).
The jury rejected Limelight’s defense that Akamai’s patent was invalid.
“Today’s ruling recognizes the strength of Akamai’s patent portfolio and is a tangible reflection of our resolve to vigorously defend the Company’s intellectual property,” said Melanie Haratunian, senior vice president and general counsel of Akamai.
Akamai intends to ask the Court to issue a permanent injunction prohibiting Limelight from continuing to sell infringing services. It is unclear whether Limelight could continue operations if it does in fact have to pay the $45 million damage award.
Representatives of Limelight said separately they were “disappointed” with the ruling and “strongly believe” it did not infringe the patent.
Podcasting network representatives were quick to comment (via Twitter) on their own companies’ strengths and immunity to any prospective service outages which might be caused if Limelight were to cease operations.
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[…] Podcasting News: Limelight Loses Patent Infringement Suit With Akamai “The judgement found that Limelight was infringing on Akamai‚Äôs content delivery patent. As a result, the jury awarded Akamai a staggering $45,526,946 in damages, plus interest.” (tags: CDN Akamai Limelight lawsuit Business) […]
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