Magnequench International today filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and Phillips, claiming patent infringement for the use magnetic materials found in Xbox DVD drives. The firm alleges that it has patents for neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets used for miniaturization, which are purportedly found in the DVD-ROMs manufactured by Phillips for Microsoft's gaming console. Looks like M$ is in trouble again for stealing others ideas. Not exactly shocking news to those of us here at the Console Conspiracy

The Nd-Fe-B magnets are a roughly $2 billion dollar market--Magnequench suspects that up to 20 percent of the Nd-Fe-B magnets produced annually infringe upon their patents.