eolas v microsoft

[Chris Whitehouse]

Hi

This article

http://news.com.com/2100-1012-5150346.html

says  

Web software company Eolas Technologies sued Microsoft in 1999, claiming that software that allows Internet Explorer to use plug-ins and other external software 
infringes on a patent it holds jointly with the University of California..

Is that anything to do with Free(or other)BSD?

Chris