Microsoft and HP have renewed a patent cross-license agreement to further the development of each companys research and development efforts and expand technological innovation based in each company's respective intellectual property.Microsoft and HP have renewed a patent cross-license agreement to
further the development of each companys research and development
efforts and expand technological innovation based in each company's
respective intellectual property.
The patent cross-license renewal represents the third such agreement
between the two companies. And though the agreement covers a broad
range of products and provides each company greater access to the
others patent portfolio, the companies did not disclose specific terms
of the agreement.
In a statement on the new agreement, David Kaefer, general manager
of Intellectual Property Licensing at Microsoft, said: "This agreement
with HP is a demonstration of Microsofts continued commitment to
making our IP more readily available to our business partners and the
ecosystem at large. Patent cross-licensing is beneficial because it
clears the way for companies to create stronger partnerships and
innovate in a more open environment that is good for business, and
ultimately benefits customers and end users.
A patent cross-licensing agreement is an agreement where two or more
parties grant a license to each other to use the intellectual property
claimed in the patents that each party owns.
Patent cross-licensing clears the way for companies to create
stronger partnerships and innovate in a more open environment that is
good for business and that ultimately benefits customers and end users,
Microsoft said. This agreement is a demonstration of both companies
commitments to making their intellectual property more readily
available to their business partners and the technology industry at
large, the company said.
According to the IEEE patents scorecard, in 2007 Microsoft had 1,649
patents and HP had 1,466 patents, placing them among the top five
patent leaders in the high technology industry.
The companies May 20 patent cross-licensing announcement comes on
the heels of Microsoft and HP enhancing the Frontline partnership with
a new agreement to deliver an end-to-end unified communications and
collaboration solution.