Microsoft, IBM Want to Seal Patents Agreements With Samsung

sfcrazy writes "The court battle between Apple and Samsung has created the possibility of disclosing the cross patent agreement between Microsoft and Samsung. Microsoft is suddenly scared and has filed a motion asking the court to seal the cross license agreement. I would like to remind that the Judge has asked both parties to make all the filings in this dispute available to the public for free." And on Monday, IBM filed for a restraining order to prevent Reuters from publishing their agreement with Samsung as well.

Comments

Re:Microsoft is suddenly scared?

[Anonymous Coward]

It is far more likely that different companies get different rates depending on how well they negotiate and how much they have to offer in return (standard practise by all of the big boys). Revealing details of such agreements puts them at a disadvantage in any future negotiations and hence the demand for non disclosure is pretty standard. This has nothing to do with fear of anything but the disadvantage they would have in future price bargaining.

Re:Microsoft is suddenly scared?

[Vintermann]

Microsoft does not want to disclose which patents they're using to get royalties for Android/Linux. Apart from the VFAT patent, it is not publicly known which 235 patents Microsoft claim to own that cover the Linux kernel - they only reveal that to parties they approach to intimidate, a really bizarre and perverse state of affairs if you ask me.

MSFT investors lied to

[Anonymous Coward]

No, Microsoft has released details of the claimed license, by Samsung of its 'Android patents'. But leaks came out that Sammy would get 'marketing money' back from Microsoft, and lo and behold they did.

Here's Microsoft and their fake claim to IP rights over Android:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15106889

Here's money back from MS to Samsung:
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/10/16/2050244/microsoft-pays-44-million-to-samsung-and-nokia-for-mango-marketing

Now suddenly they want the real details sealed? Yet they were keen to claim it was a patent license for IP claims over Android!

MSFT Investors need to wonder what the truth is here, because Samsung doesn't mind the unsealing, but yet MS does? But MS were the ones making the public claim, not Samsung!!

Denied

[DeathToBill]

Anyway, the IBM motion has already been denied. If IBM can't get it, there's a fair chance Microsoft won't, either.

One of the big reasons this is interesting is that we might finally find out exactly what patents Microsoft thinks that Linux violates.