Google is an outspoken critic of patent trolls. To act against this, the search giant has begun offering patent families off of Google for free, to startups. Google expects that the patent will indeed be used and produced by the startups as innovations, to further advance technology.
The initiative is called the LOT Network. Storage service Dropbox is reportedly part of the project as well. The LOT Network has over 325,000 patents in its name. Google will be giving some of them to interested parties.
Tech Crunch has elaborated on a report that getting a free patent will involve an application process, in which startups should be able to meet a specific amount of revenue. Interested parties should visit Google's patent licensing website, as the offer will only be availed by the first 50 startups to express interest and apply. After applying, Google will then send the interested party a list of about 5 patent families that fit the startup. This comes after the company has analysed the application. The applicant will then choose up to two patent families, which Google expects to materialize.
If the startup does not get accepted in the program, it will still get limited access to Google's patents. It is good support for the budding businesses.
"At Google, we not only remember our roots, but we respect the startup culture: the great ideas, the passion and the long hours that develop them and the resulting innovation and technology that ends up benefiting the whole world. That is why we celebrate the startup community and offer our support and assistance in many different ways." The company said in its statement introducing the new initiative.
Patent trolls have taken advantage of many businesses, especially in the tech field. They aim to get money way more than a patent's worth, once a business has allegedly infringed it. Such trolls impose patent rights to get money out of the purported infringement, taking advantage of startups and other businesses, when the patent owners themselves do not even use and manufacture the patents as products or services.
In April, Google has spear-headed a similar project, providing an avenue for patent-makers and companies to sell their creations. Google has been the intended market of the patents. To widen its cross-licensing initiative, the company has opened its database, giving support for those interested in really making something out of patents.
With a big name like Google rallying behind startups, patent trolls should be thinking a hundred times over about milking money out of them.
