Durham, NC (November 5, 2019) – Open Invention Network (OIN), the largest patent non-aggression community in history, and Toshiba Group (Toshiba) announced today that Toshiba has joined as a community member. As a global leader in innovatively pairing real-world technologies and digital technologies, Toshiba is leading the evolution of cyber-physical systems in the energy, social infrastructure, electronic devices and digital solutions industries.
“Toshiba helps businesses modernize their physical and digital systems with technologies that rely heavily on Linux and embedded Linux, like the Internet of Things (IoT) in industries that include automotive, industrial, data center, retail, energy and infrastructure, among many others,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO of OIN. “Given Toshiba’s significant patent holdings, we are pleased that the company has recognized the importance of participating in OIN as part of its IP strategy.”
“Open source technology enables new levels of innovation and helps to underpin our ongoing growth, as we fuse physical and digital technologies in cyber-physical systems,” said Dr. Shiro Saito, Toshiba’s Executive Officer, Corporate Executive Vice President and General Executive for Technology. “By joining Open Invention Network, we are demonstrating our commitment to contribute to open source technology, and supporting it with patent non-aggression in Linux.”
OIN’s community practices patent non-aggression in core Linux and adjacent open source technologies by cross-licensing Linux System patents to one another on a royalty-free basis. Patents owned by Open Invention Network are similarly licensed royalty-free to any organization that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System. The OIN license can be signed online at http://www.j-oin.net/.
About Toshiba Group
Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from over 140 years of experience in a wide range of businesses—from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices—with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths position Toshiba to become one of the world’s leading cyber-physical-system technology companies. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba contributes to society’s positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world. The Group and its 129,000 employees worldwide secured annual sales surpassing 3.6 trillion yen (US$33.3 billion) in fiscal year 2018. For more information, visit www.toshiba.co.jp/worldwide/about/index.html.
About Open Invention Network
Open Invention Network (OIN) is the largest patent non-aggression community in history and supports freedom of action in Linux as a key element of open source software (OSS). Patent non-aggression in core technologies is a cultural norm within OSS, so that the litmus test for authentic behavior in the OSS community includes OIN membership. Funded by Google, IBM, NEC, Philips, Red Hat, Sony, SUSE and Toyota, OIN has more than 3,000 community members and owns more than 1,300 global patents and applications. The OIN patent license and member cross-licenses are available royalty- free to any party that joins the OIN community. For more information, visit www.openinventionnetwork.com.