To protect themselves, Twitter buys 900 patents from IBM

To avert a complaint for infringement, Twitter acquired a package of IBM patents which probably covers a range of software and tools that the social network will integrate later in its service.

To comply with the intellectual property of IBM , Twitter has more than 900 patents owned IT company , which stated that the social network violated at least three of its patents. This is Big Blue has indicated before the weekend that the social network had acquired these patents in December and that the two companies have entered into a cross-license agreement covering other technologies that could possibly share . The agreement will allow Twitter to carry on business without being pursued by IBM for breach of copyright. With an active portfolio of about 41,000 patents, Big Blue is one of the largest patent holders in the United States . "This acquisition of patents owned by IBM and this license agreement we protect much better in terms of intellectual property and give us more freedom to innovate on behalf of all those who use our service ," said Ben Lee , Legal Director Twitter, following the announcement . Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the parties.

 
IBM patents essential to Twitter

In November, when it was about to make its IPO, the social network revealed in a regulatory filing that IBM claimed that its services infringe the intellectual property of at least three of its U.S. patents. IBM had not filed a complaint, but sent a letter inviting Twitter "initiate negotiations to allow the social network to comply", said Twitter then. "IBM has specifically identified three patents, one relating to the effective recovery of Uniform Resource Locators (URL), another on the display advertising in an interactive service, and last on the automatic identification of contacts common, "explained Twitter. 

It is not known if these three specific patents are among the 900 patents acquired by Twitter, even if we can reasonably assume. All patents bought probably covers a number of software tools and technologies that can integrate Twitter into its service commitment. Twitter could not be reached immediately by our colleagues IDG NS to San Francisco to comment. Because IBM holds a very strong patent portfolio, this agreement with Twitter is not exceptional. Before its IPO, Facebook had bought IBM patents as Google had done before them.