Microsoft has developed the Azure Intellectual Property Advantage program to help its cloud customers to deal with increasing patent lawsuits for the use of cloud-based technologies.
Huge companies such as Microsoft constantly apply for patent rights to help protect their innovative ideas. By securing a patent, a company can use it on its own products without concerns of being sued, license, or sell the rights to other companies.
In fact, technology companies have sometimes faced lengthy litigations against one another to establish and assert rights over technologies. For example, Microsoft and Google decided to end five years of disputes over mobile and gaming technologies.
But now Microsoft has decided to use its experienced legal team not only to protect its own direct interests but also to increase Azure’s product value by protecting its customers’ interests. In a blog post earlier today, Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer at Microsoft , announced the Microsoft Azure Intellectual Property (IP) Advantage program.
According to Smith, « virtually every company in every sector of the economy is becoming in part a digital business ».
