Open Innovation Network Demonstrates Ongoing Positive Momentum in Licensing Program in 2012

Open Invention Network (OIN) announced significant growth in the size of its community of licensees year to date. Licensees continue to benefit from the value of OIN association and the freedom of action enabled by OIN’s licensing program. During the period, OIN had over 50 companies join its community of licensees, so that the community currently numbers over 460 open source supporters. OIN licensees, which include founding members and associate members, benefit from the leverage provided by a patent portfolio dedicated to the protection of Linux and access to enabling technologies through OIN and shared intellectual property resources.

“The next generation of Linux adoption is coming from the convergence of big data and analytics, cloud computing, smart mobile devices and mobile broadband, and social networking,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open Invention Network. “OIN’s licensees during 2012 reflect this trend, as indicated by the participation of companies such as Mellanox, Qisda, and others.”

OIN welcomes the list of new corporate OIN licensees affirming their support for Linux, which has included the following:

1. AB Open Ltd
2. Aeonic
3. Anhui Opensource Inc.
4. Anthon
5. Aqui63
6. Ascendos
7. Baltix GNU/Linux
8. Bayanihan Linux
9. BlenderBuntu
10. Blue Systems (Netrunner OS)
11. CacheGuard Technologies Limited
12. Cerebrux
13. ClearCenter, Corp.
14. CloudLinux
15. Doublet
16. DRBL
17. East Back Corporation, Inc.
18. eKenOS
19. ESUN Linux
20. Green Turtles Technologies Private Limited
21. H&H BioSolutions, LLC
22. Imonology, LLC.
23. Integra Technologies FZE
24. jfLinux
25. Joldzic Network
26. Kepler OS
27. Kulawe Limited
28. Lena Linux
29. Maingame LTD.
30. Maple English Group
31. Mellanox
32. Network Applied Communication Laboratory Ltd.
33. neuroforge
34. Oasis Websoft
35. Opendawn
36. OpenRelief Project
37. OpenShot
38. OpenTVWS Project
39. Pacman Linux
40. PC-Trends Hinkley Utah
41. Qisda
42. RapidDisk LX
43. Sahana Software Foundation
44. Slackware Project
45. SolusOS
46. Sprezzatura
47. Tails
48. Techno Project Ltd.
49. The Tor Project Inc.
50. twostones/Acme Dot Company
51. xPUD

Patents owned by Open Invention Network are licensed royalty-free to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System. This enables companies in the OIN community to continue to make significant corporate and capital investments in Linux — helping to fuel economic growth. By broadly licensing its rapidly expanding patent portfolio, OIN is disseminating protections across the Linux community and promoting an active dialogue among entities committed to freedom of action in Linux. The web of Linux developers, distributors, sellers, resellers and end-users that license OIN’s patent portfolio acknowledge and affirm OIN’s commitment to enable Linux and address the ongoing threat from companies that seek to limit, exclude or tax open source initiatives.

OIN has amassed a broad portfolio of patents, including patents held by nominees on its behalf. These patents are available to all licensees as part of the patent portfolio that OIN is creating around, and in support of Linux. The Open Invention Network license can be found at http://www.openinventionnetwork.com/pat_license_agreement.php.

About Open Invention Network

Open Invention Network is a collaborative enterprise that enables innovation in open source and an increasingly vibrant ecosystem around Linux. It does this by acquiring and licensing patents, influencing behaviors and policy and protecting the integrity of the ecosystem through strategic programs such as Linux Defenders. OIN enables the growth and continuation of open source software by fostering a healthy Linux ecosystem of investors, vendors, developers and users.

Open Invention Network has considerable industry backing. It was launched in 2005 by IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat and Sony. OIN has received supplemental financial support from Canonical. For more information, visit www.openinventionnetwork.com.

Open Invention Network, the Open Invention Network logo, Linux Defenders, Linux Defenders 911 and the Linux Defenders 911 logo are registered trademarks or the property of Open Invention Network, LLC. All other names and brand marks are the property of their respective holders.