Actually, this isn't good news...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/32561.html
The patent appears to cover all interactive content delivered either by plug-ins or active-X. MS state that they intend to modify IE to avoid the patent, but that it will affect many web pages.
It could be bye bye to Flash & embedded media players. (my interpretation)
More at
http://www.w3.org/2003/08/patent
http://www.eolas.net/news.html
Alan