Microsoft takes on IBM for title of patent leader
crn.com | at | by Mike
Microsoft hopes to replace IBM as the top patent filer in the United States, according to Microsoft founder and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates. At the annual Microsoft Financial Analyst Meeting Thursday in Redmond, Wash., Gates said the software giant plans to step up its patent efforts as part of a plan to provide new software innovations to achieve revenue growth.
Microsoft will file for more than 3,000 patents in fiscal year 2005, which began July 1, Gates said. This is a "fairly dramatic increase" over its fiscal year 2004 patent activity, in which slightly more than 2,000 patents were filed, he said.