鸿海与微软签署操作系统专利授权协议

微软公司(Microsoft)日前宣布与富士康(Foxconn)母公司鸿海科技集团(Hon Hai)签署一项全球专利授权协议。根据这项协议，微软公司将授权 采用Android 与 Chrome 操作系统(OS)的智能手机、平板电脑与电视等装置使用微软广泛的专利产品组合。此外，微软公司也将从鸿海科技取得根据该协议内容支付的专利授权费。 对 于认定可能侵犯其庞大软件 IP 组合的手机制造商，微软一向采取积极的威胁移动。包括像宏达电(HTC)、Acer、 LG电子和三星电子(Samsung)等公司都已经同意与微软签署 Adnroid 授权协议了。而目前已是 Google 子公司的摩托罗拉移动(Motorola Mobility)公司仍坚持抵抗，并正采取专利诉讼反击微软的移动。 Tirias Research公司创办人兼总分析师Jim McGreor表示，智能手机与其它产品制造商由于担心陷入法律诉讼，使微软成功地迫使制造商们与其签署授权协议。然而，“遗憾的是，合约制造商与 ODM们正陷于困境中。他们几乎都必须负担法律赔偿，才能避免被起诉。” 鸿海旗下子公司富士康(Foxconn)是全球知名的 iPhone 、 iPad 等苹果产品代工厂，它同时也为其它公司的产品进行制造，估计该公司生产全球40%以上的消费性电子产品。 有 关知识产权(IP)的争议长久以来一直是高科技领域的重要部份，特别是在近年来似乎还越演越烈。包括像微软、苹果与Google等拥有成千上万专利组合的公司，不但积极采取法律诉讼的途径，同时还致力于收购其它专利组合，以强化其竞争地位。最有名的例子就是苹果和三星去年在加州法庭上大打智能手机专利战。 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：富士康打算成为OEM？

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{pagination} 富士康打算成为OEM？ McGreggor说，富士康之所以同意这项协议，主要是因为它希望最终能成为一家OEM，以便能制造自有品牌产品。如同 HTC 一开始也是一家合约制造商，后来由于采取了这样的发展路径，最后才能成功打造出自家手机。 McGreggor说：“此外，部份的原因也在于富士康目前正为一些客户打造产品，据传有些客户已经被微软起诉了。因此，富士康打算先发制人采取自保移动。” 微软知识财产权事业群全球副总裁暨副法务长Horacio Gutierrez说，与鸿海的这项协议，成功扩展了微软在 Android 授权计划的版图，“透过与品牌企业与其合约制造商的授权移动，我们已经成功地增加了这项计划的整体效益以及在全球的影响力。” 鸿海知识财产权部门总监Samuel Fu则在一份声明中表示：“我们理解并尊重保护智能财产权的重要性与国际活动。此次与微软的授权协议代表鸿海支持并促进有效专利保护的国际贸易协议。” 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 编译：Susan Hong 参考英文原文：Microsoft, Foxconn ink patent licensing deal，by Dylan McGrath

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{pagination} Microsoft, Foxconn ink patent licensing deal Dylan McGrath SAN FRANCISCO—Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday (April 16) it entered into a worldwide patent licensing agreement with Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Co., the parent company of electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn. Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.) said the deal provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for devices running the Android and Chrome OS, including smartphones, tablets and televisions. Microsoft said it would receive unspecified royalties from Hon Hai under the agreement. Microsoft has been aggressive in threatening legal action against handset OEMs perceived as violating its massive software IP portfolio. Firms such as HTC Corp., Acer, LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. have already agreed to pay Microsoft royalties on Android-based phones. Motorola Mobility, now a subsidiary of Google, remains a holdout and is fighting Microsoft in court over patents. Jim McGregor, founder and principal analyst at Tirias Research, said Microsoft is beginning to have success forcing firms that build smartphones and other products on behalf of others to sign licensing agreements for fear of being sued. "Unfortunately, the contract manufacturers and ODMs are getting caught in the crossfire," McGregor said. "They almost have to have that legal indemnity to avoid getting sued." Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, is well known for building products for Apple Inc.—including iPhones and iPads—and firms. The firm is estimated to manufacture more than 40 percent of the world's consumer electronics. Intellectual property battles have long been a part of the high-tech landscape, but seem to have ramped up in recent years. Companies like Microsoft, Apple and Google—which owns tens of thousands of patents—have been engaging in legal action and bidding to acquire other patent portfolios to strengthen their competitive positions. Apple and Samsung famously squared off in court last year in San Jose, Calif., in a fight over smartphone patents. Will Foxconn become OEM? McGreggor said Foxconn may have agreed to the deal because it eventually hopes to become an OEM, making its own branded products. HTC took such a path—starting as a contract manufacturer before eventually making its own successful handsets. "Some of it is related to the fact that they [Foxconn] are building products for companies that they know are being sued by Microsoft," McGreggor said. "Their customers are already getting sued. It's kind of preemptive to keep that waterfall from going down." Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Microsoft's intellectual property group, said the deal with Hon Hai expands the success of Microsoft's Android licensing program. "By licensing both brand name companies and their contract manufacturers, we have successfully increased the overall effectiveness and global reach of the program," Gutierrez said. "We recognize and respect the importance of international efforts that seek to protect intellectual property," said Samuel Fu, director of the intellectual property department at Hon Hai, in a statement. "The licensing agreement with Microsoft represents those efforts and our continued support of international trade agreements that facilitate implementation of effective patent protection."