Microsoft Gets Behind the Windows Driving Wheel

In a move designed to foster innovation and collaboration, Microsoft has got behind the Windows driving wheel together with Alpine. In this context, under the Redmond company's Intellectual Property Licensing program, the two parties have indicated an expansion of their current collaboration. Being the owner of a top portfolio of patents, Microsoft is leveraging the resources via its IP licensing program introduced back in December 2003. According to the Redmond company, intellectual property is designed to support a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem, and Alpine Electronics, a supplier of automotive mobile media solutions, is the latest company to share Microsoft's vision.

"This agreement builds on a strong existing relationship between Microsoft and Alpine, and provides both companies with further access to their respective patent portfolios," said Horacio Gutierrez, vice president of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft. "These cross-licensing deals support the further development of technological innovations and industry collaborations that ultimately benefit consumers and the entire IT ecosystem."

"Alpine is looking forward to continued collaboration with Microsoft, and this agreement enables both companies to build upon their cutting-edge innovations," said Satoshi Soma, director of audiovisual product development at Alpine. "We look forward to incorporating Microsoft's technologies into our product platforms to create navigation and information systems that meet the advanced performance expectations of today's tech-savvy consumers."

Neither of the two parties chose to disclose the details of their intellectual property agreement, let alone the financial aspect, but Microsoft indicated that Alpine would pay an undisclosed sum for licensing its patents. However, the deal is a cross-license agreement giving both companies access to each others' respective patent portfolios. Alpine will subsequently integrate Microsoft's technology into its own car navigation systems. The existing relationship between the two companies was forged on Microsoft's automotive operating system, Windows Automotive, which Alpine has been using in its navigation systems since 2002.