Portland company alleges Microsoft infringement

A Portland-based computer company is suing Microsoft in federal court claiming patent infringement.

SurfCast claims the user interfaces on some Microsoft products infringe on a concept it developed in the 1990s.

At issue is Microsoft’s use of “tiles” in the display spaces of computers, telephones, tablet devices and other products. The items include Windows 8 and Surface products, according to SurfCast. The tiles represent data and services available on the device.

In its complaint filed Tuesday, SurfCast asked the court to find that Microsoft has infringed on its patent and award unspecified.

Garelick Farms to close Bangor processing plant

Garelick Farms is ending production at its milk-processing plant in Bangor and laying off 35 employees.

Garelick Farms’ parent company, Texas-based Dean Foods, says production will be phased out over the next two months and the facility will close permanently in January.

Dean is not closing Garelick’s distribution plant in Bangor, which has 38 employees.

Spokesman Jamaison Schuler told the Bangor Daily News that the company is moving production to Garelick’s three other plants, in Massachusetts and New York.

The Bangor facility has been in operation since 1902. Garelick Farms bought the plant in 1994.

Garelick was bought by Suiza, which went on to become Dean Foods, in 1997.

Rosetta Stone, Google dismiss trademark lawsuit

Rosetta Stone Inc. and Google Inc. have agreed to dismiss a three-year old trademark infringement lawsuit between the two companies and made plans to work together to fight trademark abuse online.

Rosetta Stone sued Google in 2009 for allowing rivals to advertise copycat software when Rosetta’s trademarks were used as search terms in Google’s AdWords system. The company argued that Google’s actions created consumer confusion by allowing counterfeit products to be sold using its trademarks.

A district court in Virginia dismissed the lawsuit in 2010. But the case appeared to be headed to court again this year after an appeals court determined that some of the claims should be heard at trial.

U.S. jobs report to be released on schedule

The monthly U.S. jobs report will be released as scheduled Friday despite earlier concerns that Superstorm Sandy might force the Labor Department to delay its release.

The report on hiring and the unemployment rate for October will be the final jobs report before Election Day on Tuesday.

Department officials had said earlier in the week that they intended to release the report on time, but they didn’t rule out a delay.

Much of the final work on the monthly jobs report must be done inside secure government buildings, and federal offices were closed Monday and Tuesday. Department officials said some employees came in Tuesday to work on the report.

Government offices reopened Wednesday.

Illinois sues ExxonMobil over oil mist release

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow are taking legal action against ExxonMobil Oil Corp. over the release of oil mist at a northern Illinois refinery.

They filed a complaint on Wednesday, seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the company to investigate the cause of the release and to submit a detailed schedule to make improvements. They also want ExxonMobil to clean up any environmental or property damage.

The mist was accidentally released from the coker unit at the company’s Channahon Township refinery on Oct. 19. The oil mist fell onto homes, farms and a creek within a four-mile radius.

–From staff and news sevices

 

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