Over the last few years, software giant Microsoft has on numerous occasions said that Android partners are infringing on its patents. In a recent report we learned that Microsoft owns as many as 200 patents that are required to make an Android smartphone. However, the company never really made public its patents that others were infringing on.
That was until today, when China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) revealed a list consisting of over 200 patents and applications that are owned by Microsoft that needed approval by Chinese Antitrusts for the Nokia deal.
Now interestingly, Microsoft claims that 127 of these patents are implemented in Android. Several of these technologies were built at Microsoft, and others were part of its acquisition bid of Rockstar Consortium.
The list also includes the 14 patents that Microsoft used to sue Barnes & Noble. Why does Microsoft care so much about patents, you might ask. Think of patents as a cash generating cow. Once you have owned a patent, you can revise your ownership power whenever you see a company using your technology. Microsoft is expected to make $1 billion a year solely from its Android licensing revenue.
