EchoStar Communications Corp. won a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Forgent Networks Inc., EchoStar announced May 21.

In a statement, EchoStar said “a Texas jury today returned a verdict in favor of EchoStar, finding invalid the patent Forgent accused EchoStar of violating. Forgent had asked for over $200 million in damages.”

In July 2005, Forgent initiated litigation against approximately 15 companies for patent infringement of digital video recorder (DVR) technology. Along with EchoStar, original defendants included Cable One Inc. (a subsidiary of The Washington Post Co.), Charter Communications Inc., Comcast Corp., Cox Communications Inc., Digeo, DirecTV Group Inc., Time Warner Inc. and respective subsidiaries.

Defended by attorneys from San Francisco-based Morrison & Foerster and the Tyler, Texas, firm of Ireland, Carroll & Kelley, EchoStar’s suit was argued after more than a dozen rival cable and satellite operators paid tens of millions of dollars to settle.