Microsoft has been signing patent deals in the last year with quite a few companies that make Android smartphones and tablets. Earlier in July, two more of these businesses, Aluratek and Coby Electronics, signed on the dotted line with Microsoft to use the company"s patents in their Android products. Now Microsoft has made another deal to use its patents, but this time it"s with a Linux-based company.
In a press release today, Microsoft announced a cross-license patent agreement with Amdocs Software Systems Limited. Amdocs provides Linux-based servers in its data centers. Microsoft stated, "Although specific terms of the agreement are confidential, Microsoft indicated that Amdocs will pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount of money under the agreement."
Founded in 1982, the Chesterfield, Missouri based Amdocs currently has over 20,000 employees. It offers billing software and other services for a number of clients, including companies like AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, DirecTV and others.
Since Microsoft is not commenting on the specifics of this new patent deal, it"s hard to say exactly what Amdocs is paying Microsoft for. The press release suggests that the Linux servers that Amdocs uses contain one or more software features that Microsoft feels contain patents owned by the company. This may also signal the start of a new wave of announcements from Microsoft concerning companies that uses Linux-based servers in their operations.
Source: ZDnet