tuoshin537
04-04-2011, 05:36 PM
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a group of open-source backers is poised to purchase 22 graphics patents previously the property of Microsoft.The patents in query seem to include some or all of the 3D-graphics-related ones that Microsoft purchased from SGI in 2002. Microsoft offered these patents earlier this 12 months to a third-party patent broker,Office 2007 Enterprise Key (http://www.office2007key.eu), Allied Protection Have confidence in (AST). The Journal reported on September 8 that AST is selling the patents towards the Open Invention Network (OIN), a group of companies such as IBM, Novell, Red Hat and Sony. The gist of the Journal;s tale is OIN members desire to acquire the graphics patents to head off prospective patent trolls who could possibly be thinking about acquiring them to use from open-source vendors.I;ve asked OIN,microsoft Office 2010 Activation (http://www.microsoftoffice2010key.net/), AST and Microsoft for far more info and also have however to hear back from any of them.Update: Microsoft responded Tuesday afternoon. Spokesperson Michael Marinello sent the subsequent statement:“We offered 22 patents to AST in July 2009. The terms were confidential. We acquired these patents several years ago as part of a larger business agreement with SGI.“We are constantly evaluating our patent portfolio – which recently received top ranking in the software industry — to ensure its makeup fits into the business goals with the organization. These patents were deemed to be non-core to our business and non-essential for our IP portfolio. When an interested buyer for this technology was identified,Microsoft Office 2007 Pro (http://www.microsoftoffice2007key.net), after discussing it both internally and using the prospective buyer,Windows 7 Enterprise (http://www.windows7key.ca/), we felt this was the right direction to go in relating to these specific patents.”Marinello advised me to get in touch with AST, as they own the patents now. I still have not heard back again from AST or OIN. But OIN issued a press release at 4 pm ET today confirming that it purchased the 22 patents from AST, but offering no extra data or particulars — not even a confirmation that the patents “read on Linux.” “To date, the Trust (AST) has invested $40 million in patent purchases over its 30 months of operations,” the release said.The original WSJ story leaves me with additional than a few questions: Lately, Linux vendors have been steeling themselves against the possibility of Microsoft pursuing them for alleged patent violations. But in this case — since Microsoft marketed these patents — who were the OIN members worried about? Which trolls were lurking?The Journal cites an OIN official claiming that Microsoft presented the graphics patents as being “Linux-related” when it auctioned them off earlier this 12 months. (Microsoft did not confirm this characterization in the Journal;s story.) If the patents really are Linux-related, I;d think Microsoft would have wanted to hold onto them, to give the company a leg up against its Linux competitors, rather than sell the patents off, claiming they weren;t germane to Microsoft;s core business.What, exactly, do these 22 patents cover? Back again in January 2002, The Register reported that Microsoft paid $63 million for SGI;s graphics patent portfolio. In July of that same yr, Microsoft was rattling the patent sabers over OpenGL. Microsoft officials said they had “possible claims” on a technology called vertex programming, a technology that controls 3D effects just like lighting. A ZDNet story from that time noted that “The claims caused some consternation within the OpenGL Architectural Review Board (ARB),Office 2007 Standard (http://www.office2007key.ca), which governs the specification.” Anything else about this transaction of interest to you (in case I do get to talk to any with the parties in query later today)?