WebProNews

The company had hoped to get a potential judgment against it reduced by $360 million, but the high court declined to hear its appeal.

Microsoft has been fighting in court with Eolas Technologies and the University of California over technology used in the Internet Explorer browser. In January 2004, a court ordered Microsoft to pay $565 million for infringement.

An appellate court had tossed out the award when Microsoft appealed; that court ordered a new hearing Chicago to determine if the Eolas patent is valid, the Seattle Times said. Before that trial takes place, Microsoft wanted to get some of the terms of the suit removed.

Microsoft wanted to exclude copies of IE distributed outside the United States from counting toward the possible fine. However, the Supreme Court turned down the appeal without comment.

That leave Microsoft case back in the hands of the district court in Chicago and the patent hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.