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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.

Community Initiatives

OIN supports complementary community initiatives that are good for our community and open source software.

Press Mentions

August 29, 2019
The Open Invention Network: An Intellectual Property Company Using Patents to Encourage Open-Source Development and Innovation

August 28, 2019
Microsoft readies exFAT patents for Linux and open source

Read More >>

What people are saying…

Open source technology, especially Linux, drives innovation in areas that are critical to the customers that we serve, including technologies such as servers, storage, cloud, converged applications, big data and IoT. By joining Open Invention Network, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to open source technology, and supporting it with patent non-aggression in Linux.

Norihiro SuzukiVice President and Executive Officer, CTO

For more than 160 years, Heidelberg has been a leading provider of a spectrum of printing technologies used by the most respected print shops in the industry. We recognize the value of open source innovation in our firmware and increasingly sophisticated document management systems. By joining OIN, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to innovation and supporting it with patent non-aggression in Linux and adjacent technologies

Christof Haust, Heidelberger Drucksmachinen, AG

The ecosystem in which we operate is changing rapidly. Innovation that was once squarely housed within the community and exclusively oriented towards its collective betterment is increasingly being conducted across a growing number of companies around the world. That growth is exciting, but there is no denying that with it comes a complex array of actors and interests, some of whom may be more opportunistic in their thinking when it comes to intellectual property rights. Ensuring that permission…

James MurdockBlockstream

The Electric Vehicle Charging Industry is booming and has benefited greatly from the freedom to use open source software such as Linux in our systems. The Open Charge Alliance stands for open collaboration, open standards and is a strong supporter of OIN. We can’t have patent aggression slowing down innovation and market growth in this exciting new industry.

Lonneke DriessenDirector, Open Charge Alliance

Linux and open source are driving innovation in cloud and mobile computing, and emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things. These are developments that are very close to our hearts at Sage. We applaud the Open Invention Network’s efforts to promote openness and innovation for the benefit of the technical community and our wider society and would encourage our partners to support their work.

Klaus-Michael VogelbergCTO, Sage

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

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

With the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) reshaping what is possible in industrial settings— improving productivity, enhancing operational efficiency and increasing customer choice— we view Linux and other open source projects as key enablers in the IIOT. The success of the IIOT is predicated on the ability to connect and manage widely distributed sensors and devices across numerous vertical industries and compute the data effectively on an industrial scale.

Peter KohlschmidtCTO, Moxa

We are excited to join OIN. Since its inception in 2005, OIN has been at the forefront of helping companies reduce patent infringement risks relating to Linux. It does so by creating a voluntary system of patent cross-licenses between member companies covering Linux System technologies. We look forward to working with OIN and its members to protect the Linux ecosystem and also encourage innovation in the open source software community.

Benjamin BaiAnt Financial

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

Recently Joined the OIN Community

About OIN

OIN Community

Our License Agreement

OIN Linux System

Press Room

Community Initiatives

Press Mentions

What people are saying…