"The U.S. top court has agreed to review a patent infringement case filed against Microsoft by Toronto-based i4i Ltd. – a case that Microsoft lost both initially in court and subsequently on appeal. […] Microsoft’s appeal to the top court essentially asks the court to consider setting a less-stringent standard for invalidating a patent. Currently, companies in Microsoft’s position are required to show “clear and convincing” evidence to invalidate a U.S. patent.
Microsoft argues that the current system disproportionately favours patent holders in some cases."