The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Thursday reversed a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission, asking it to reconsider a decision that Motorola Mobility did not infringe on a Microsoft patent. In 2010, the United States International Trade Commission had found that Google's Motorola had not violate four of Microsoft's patents (U.S. Patent Nos. 6,578,054; 6,826,762; 7,644,376; and 5,664,133.)

Acting on an appeal by Microsoft, the Court of Appeals USITC today found that the ITC was correct in finding that Motorola Mobility, which has since been bought by Google, did not infringe three patents. However, it found that a fourth patent was not infringed and asked the ITC to reconsider that patent, which describes a graphical computer interface.

"We're pleased the court determined Google unfairly uses Microsoft technology," said David Howard, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel. "Google is free to license our inventions, but we're equally pleased if Google makes product adjustments to avoid using them."

"Today's favorable opinion confirms our position that our products don't infringe the Microsoft patents," said Motorola Mobility spokesman Matt Kallman.