Microsoft must pay a Toronto software company $290 million and could be prevented from selling its ubiquitous Word software in the U.S., according to a ruling issued by a Texas judge Tuesday in a patent infringement case.

"We feel vindicated with this result," said i4i founder Michel Vulpe, whose company brought the legal action related to patent #5,787,449. Microsoft said it plans to appeal.

As part of the ruling, Microsoft is enjoined from performing the following actions with respect to Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Word 2007 and other Microsoft Word products:

--Selling, offering to sell, and/or importing in or into the United States any Infringing and Future Word Products that have the capability of opening a .XML, .DOCX, or .DOCM file ("an XML file") containing custom XML.

--Using any Infringing and Future Word Products to open an XML file containing custom XML.

--Instructing or encouraging anyone to use any Infringing and Future Word Products to open an XML file containing custom XML.

--Providing support or assistance to anyone that describes how to use any infringing and Future Word Products to open an XML file containing XML.

--Testing, demonstrating, or marketing the ability of the Infringing and Future Word Products to open an XML file containing custom XML.

Nancy Gohring at Computerworld reports that it is unlikely that the injunction will halt Microsoft Word sales anytime soon, with Directions on Microsoft analyst Michael Cherry telling her that "It's going to take a long time for this kind of thing to get sorted out."

Meanwhile, a Microsoft spokesman said the company was "disappointed" by the court's ruling.

"We believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid. We will appeal the verdict," said the spokesman.

i4i's patent -- U.S. Patent No. 5,787,499 -- was issued in 1998.