Intel Corporation Message Board

There are many, many more patents in the Nortel portfolio. Intel is very, very deep in computer, silicon technology and even wired network patents. Patents are a DETERRENT to getting sued in a particular industry. For SoC silicon that Intel is planning, there are a number of patent toes that could be stepped on.

Important patents in their portfolio would provide value against lawsuits even if they were not building something in that area. Think of important patents as having intrinsic bargaining value.

Google was sued this past week for $2B by Oracle for patent infringement on the Oracle JAVA patents. How much would just ONE key patent on some basic JAVA technology be worth to Google? I would estimate it would be worth more than $2B since they could avoid the cost of litigation and the threat of a $2B decision.

Companies sign cross licensing agreements to avoid mutual self-destruction through lawsuit.

Intel is "light" in the telecommunications patents. These patents would be a nuclear deterrent against patent infringement lawsuits. Google is very shallow in the patent area and will be agreessive. Apple has much bucks and will be agressive.

Here is a list of patents that tech companies are interested in.
http://www.iam-magazine.com/blog/Detail.aspx?g=0e1a7108-8ddc-4257-b95b-86eacc2f7887

A list of the 3,000 or so patents.
http://www.nortel.com/corporate/technology/patents/collateral/list_of_nortel_patents_0506.pdf