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Recently Joined the OIN Community

About OIN

OIN is a defensive patent pool and community of patent non-aggression which enables freedom of action in Linux. Learn about OIN’s mission, team, supporters, and more.

OIN Community

Over 2,000 organizations have joined OIN. In support of patent non-aggression. For free access to OIN’s patents. And to gain royalty free access to Linux System patents of other OIN participants.

Our License Agreement

Available to all parties, a completed OIN license agreement provides entry to the OIN community and its benefits. Review the agreement, learn more, and sign up online.

OIN Linux System

The Linux System is the set of technologies in which OIN participants agree to cross-license patents to another. A shared zone of patent non-aggression to promote collaboration.

Press Room

OIN enables freedom of action in open source and Linux, which have been great sources of innovation. Find press releases, coverage, FAQs, resources and more here.

Linux Defenders

Linux Defenders is a program to eliminate poor quality patents. It does so through community prior art and defensive publication efforts, as described on the Linux Defenders site.

Press Mentions

May 29, 2018
Safeguarding Open Source and Blockchain’s Patent Landscape

March 26, 2018
Keep the IoT Free

Read More >>

What people are saying…

Linux is an integral part of the advanced system-on-chip (SoC) development process and is used as the development platform as well as a target operating system for many systems that our customers design. Preserving the openness of Linux is critical to the continued advancement of next-generation SoCs in both embedded applications and consumer devices.

Jim Ready, Cadence

OSADL is convinced that joining oin is an important step towards protection of software investment, and as such OSADL is leading by example and advising its members to also do so.

Carsten Emde, OSADL

Our participation in OIN means we’ve promised to share our patents with other open-source companies working on Linux and OpenStack and it puts us in the company, once again, of our compatriots from the OpenStack foundation – IBM, Red Hat, HP, Canonical and others.

Gretchen Curtis, Piston Cloud Computing

Embecosm has joined the Open Invention Network (OIN), an industry consortium with an ever-growing patent pool that facilitates cross-licensing, for mutual defence against those who would use patents against the Linux ecosystem. All members are protected, even companies like Embecosm which bring no patents to the table. I don’t like the world we are in, but at least Embecosm is now in a stronger position to protect free software.”

Jeremy Bennett, Embecosm

Linux, and more broadly open source software, is a foundational technology in the desktop, mobile, networking, cloud and embedded computing environments. We are committed to open solutions that promote advances in all of the sectors that depend on advanced x86 and ARM platforms. Joining Open Invention Network is another way we are demonstrating our commitment to open innovation and collaboration.

Richard Brown, VIA Technologies

Blockchain technology is worth getting extremely excited about no matter what industry you are in. For anything that requires multiple layers of verification, the blockchain lets you cut out those layers. And that’s just very powerful.

Joan WarnerOxford Economics

Linux plays an important role at TomTom as the core of all our Portable Navigation Devices. We believe that by becoming an Open Invention Network licensee, we encourage Linux development and foster innovation in a technical community that benefits everyone.

Peter Spours, TomTom

Hyundai Kia Motors are both committed to offering the highest-quality, intelligent vehicle platforms that leverage Linux and open source technologies. By joining the Open Invention Network, we will use the opportunity to further develop its infotainment platform. Moreover, we will help to ensure the ongoing development of open solutions that stimulate growth in the automotive industry.

Eon Youl ShinHyundai Motor Company

We applaud OIN’s efforts to promote patent non-aggression in the cloud by adding the OpenStack packages to its Linux System definition. The OpenStack Foundation Board of Directors appreciates that the rapidly-growing OIN community has been, and is now explicitly, supporting freedom of action in the cloud of the future that OpenStack has been formed to enable.

Alan Clark, OpenStack Foundation

We are very excited to join and support OIN, which is really reaching critical mass. This decision has clear value for a company like us, and we believe for all the other new OIN members. We highly encourage other companies to consider joining OIN as well so we create an even stronger protection mechanism for the benefit of the entire Linux ecosystem.

Thierry Koehrlen, Ulteo

Recently Joined the OIN Community

About OIN

OIN Community

Our License Agreement

OIN Linux System

Press Room

Linux Defenders

Press Mentions

What people are saying…