The company was "Stac Electronics". A jury ruled that Msft infringed on (in your terminology "stole") Stac patents but not willfully, and awarded damages to Stac. The court also ruled Stac "stole" Msft's technology and awarded damages to Msft.
I'm very uncomfortable with software IP in general. Lawyers buy up patents or failing companies and then go after big companies (because that's where the money is). Big companies use software IP lawyers to attempt to squash little companies, an intimidation tactic used to get the little guy to sell out cheaply - eg. sic lawyers on the little guy then ask him to come work for them (a "deal you can't refuse").
IP lawyers have descended on the software world en masse in the last 10-15 years. They will kill the software industry in the USA unless they're stopped.
You have a better memory than I! Thank you. :-)
"They will kill the software industry in the USA unless they're stopped."
Hmm. Software industry, healthcare industry, pharmaceutical industry, tobacco industry (not too concerned with that one, though), all detrimentally affected by lawyers (and I'm sure I missed several). You gotta love lawyers. And by love, I mean hate.