Patent Programs

Google promotes innovation both within our company and throughout the technology ecosystem. In the spirit of fostering such innovation, we continually strive to embrace new models for using and sharing intellectual property across a variety of technology areas. Beyond acquiring, divesting, and licensing patents, Google is deeply involved in novel patent programs, including our release of open source software (like Android and TensorFlow), our participation in community licenses (including Open Invention Network’s and LOT Network’s), and other initiatives like the Open Patent Non-Assert Pledge and the VP8 License.

To get more information on these initiatives as well as information on how to submit a patent opportunity to Google, please explore on the links below.

Google Patent Opportunity Submission
LOT Network
Patent Divestitures
VP8 Patent Cross-License
Open Invention Network
PAX: the Android Networked Cross-License Agreement
Alliance for Open Media
Open Patent Non-Assert (OPN) Pledge

Google Patent Opportunity Submission

Google Patent Opportunity Submission

Google will consider licensing offers for granted patents. If you do not have a patent but only a business idea, please do not make a submission as we will not consider non-patented ideas. If your patent application has not been granted and is still in the application stage, please do not submit. Instead, please wait until the application has been granted and then submit your opportunity. If you would like to offer a license to Google for a granted patent, click here.

While Google no longer considers offers to buy patents through this portal, Google has designated Allied Security Trust (AST) to handle intake of patent sale opportunities at https://www.ast.com/sell-to-ast/. You may feel free to submit patent sale opportunities to AST.

LOT Network

LOT Network

Launched in 2014 by Canon, Google, Red Hat and others, LOT Network administers an industry-led, networked, royalty-free patent cross license agreement affecting patents transferred to patent-assertion entities (also known as patent trolls). Under the LOT Agreement, participants are shielded from the risk that member patents will ever be used against them by patent-assertion entities.

Learn More at LOT Network’s website: lotnet.com.

Patent Divestitures

Patent Divestitures

Google’s technical innovations and diverse-businesses initiatives have contributed to Google’s portfolio of over 50,000 patent assets worldwide. As Google’s businesses evolve, so do their patent needs. Google believes that certain of its patents may be better utilized by others. For example, Google had previously provided patents to startup companies through Google’s pioneering Patent Starter Program. Google has recently developed a patent divestiture program to divest patent assets through open-market channels as well as in response to requests from potential buyers. If you are interested in acquiring patent assets from Google or are otherwise interested in learning more about our divestiture program, please contact our team of patent-transaction professionals at patentsales@google.com. For a list of portfolios that are available:

Click here for a list of portfolios that are available.

VP8 Patent Cross-License

VP8 Patent Cross-License

VP8 is Google’s open and royalty-free video compression format. Any company, organization or individual can participate in the VP8 patent cross-license and benefit from royalty-free rights that Google obtained from twelve key technology companies on behalf of all cross-license participants. Cross-license participants additionally obtain a license to VP8 essential patents of all other cross-licensees.

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Open Invention Network

Open Invention Network

Open Invention Network (OIN) is a community-driven consortium established to protect Linux and related open source software from patent aggression. OIN seeks to protect freedom of action with respect to Linux and related open source technologies by administering a free, networked patent cross-license that provides participants royalty-free access to all patents owned by OIN and a a patent cross-license among the participants for certain Linux and other source-related technologies known as the Linux System. Launched in 2006, OIN is funded by Google, IBM, NEC, Philips, Red Hat, Sony, SUSE and Toyota.

Learn more at OIN’s website: openinventionnetwork.com.

PAX: the Android Networked Cross-License Agreement

PAX: the Android Networked Cross-License Agreement

In Latin, the word pax means “peace.” In the world of intellectual property, patent peace often coincides with innovation and healthy competition that serve to benefit consumers.

Under PAX, members grant each other royalty-free patent licenses covering Android and Google Applications on qualified devices. This community-driven clearinghouse, developed together with our Android partners, ensures that innovation and consumer choice—not patent threats—will continue to be the key drivers of our Android ecosystem. PAX is free to join and open to anyone.

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Alliance for Open Media

Alliance for Open Media

The Alliance for Open Media is a technology collaboration consortium formed to define and develop next generation open standards for video compression and delivery over the web. AOM members agree to upfront royalty-free commitments to all of their essential patent claims. Non-AOM members can participate in the ecosystem by contributing code; and can benefit from AOM members’ patents so long as they adhere to a defensive termination provision included in the AOM patent license. The first generation AOM video codec is called AV1, and was released in March 2018.

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Open Patent Non-Assert (OPN) Pledge

Open Patent Non-Assert (OPN) Pledge

The OPN Pledge is a promise by Google to developers, distributors and users of free or open source software that Google will not assert infringement of certain Google patents against them, unless first attacked. Google’s non-assertion pledge remains in force even if the pledged patents are sold or transferred. Google encourages other companies to take the OPN Pledge.

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