SAP Loses Patent Suit, Owes Versata $139 Million
Spokespeople for SAP didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The Bloomberg news service quoted spokesman Andy Kendzie as saying SAP, based in Waldorf, Germany, was reviewing its options and was likely to appeal the verdict.
Versata, based in Austin, Texas, sued both SAP and its SAP America subsidiary in 2007 claiming that SAP's Business Suite applications infringed five patents held by Versata, including patents covering technology that determines how items are priced. During the trial SAP's lawyers argued that SAP's products didn't infringe the patents.
The Bloomberg report said SAP had argued that the patents should be ruled invalid because they are obvious. Bloomberg said the verdict is the fourth-largest patent jury verdict in the U.S. this year.