US patent office asked to review FAT patent

The New York-based Public Patent Foundation has filed a formal request with the US Patent and Trademark Office to revoke Microsoft Corporation’s
patent on the FAT file system.

In December last year, Microsoft said it would be charging a fee from those who use the FAT file system and offered to sell licences to those who
wished to buy one.

A patent for FAT was granted to its inventors on November 26, 1996.