Microsoft Announces Patent Licensing Agreement With Fuji Xerox And Buffalo Group

Microsoft today announced that Fuji Xerox, a leading provider of document managing systems have signed a broad patent cross-licensing agreement. And earlier this week, the signed similar licensing collaboration deal with Buffalo group (Melco Holdings).

Our initial agreements with Fuji Xerox and Melco Holdings were signed in 2007 and 2009, respectively, and provided opportunities for technology collaboration and accelerated product development. Through the years, new products, services and technologies emerged, demonstrating how relationships forged through patent licensing provide enduring value and accelerate the pace of innovation. These agreements illustrate the significance of our patent system – an exceptionally efficient framework for enabling technology sharing, and incentivizing innovation.

Read the full press release below.

TOKYO and REDMOND, Wash. — March 19, 2015 — Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd. and Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC announced on Thursday a broad patent cross-licensing agreement. Building on a 2007 cross-licensing agreement, today’s agreement ensures that Microsoft and Fuji Xerox continue to benefit from access to each other’s substantial and valuable patent portfolios and accelerate research and development.

“Today’s agreement demonstrates the power of patent licensing to stimulate engagement and innovation,” said Nick Psyhogeos, vice president and executive director of Microsoft Technology Licensing. “This expanded deal between our companies demonstrates that the opportunities for collaboration across our mutual technologies and intellectual property assets continue to grow. We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Fuji Xerox in the years ahead.”

This agreement covers a broad range of products and services offered by Microsoft and Fuji Xerox, including digital imaging, document management and mobile consumer products. Microsoft and Fuji Xerox have a long history of working together to bring high-quality, cutting-edge products to consumers. Contents of the agreement will not be disclosed.

“We are pleased to continue our mutually beneficial patent agreement that respects each company’s innovations and intellectual property, encourages greater interoperability, and provides valuable protections for consumers,” said Yasuaki Onishi, corporate vice president of Fuji Xerox.

NAGOYA, Japan, and REDMOND, Wash. — March 16, 2015 — On Monday, Melco Holdings Inc., parent company of Buffalo Inc. and Buffalo Group (“Melco Group”), and Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC, announced a patent agreement providing Melco Holdings coverage for its Linux- and Android-based devices under Microsoft’s patent portfolio.

“With this agreement, we are pleased to build on prior patent licensing arrangements with Melco,” said Nick Psyhogeos, vice president and executive director of Microsoft Technology Licensing. “Our ongoing partnership with Melco demonstrates that patent licensing remains an exceptionally efficient way for companies to mutually exchange rights to technologies that lead to enhanced innovations for consumers.”

Microsoft and Melco Holdings have previously worked together via business and patent agreements to bring high-quality products to consumers. The company is also a global partner of Microsoft, manufacturing Windows-certified PC peripherals. The agreement includes Buffalo-branded network attached storage devices and routers, as well as tablets. The terms of the agreement are confidential.

“Our agreement with Microsoft ensures that our customers can be confident our world-class infrastructure technology delivers them not only the solution they need but the appropriate intellectual property coverage,” said Tamio Matsuo, executive vice president of Melco Holdings Inc.