loophole: Although not quite in the same league as Microsoft (see below), maybe IDCC could come out and say something about the number and importance of their patents.
Microsoft Lands Milestone 5,000th Patent
Multibillion-dollar research and development investment yields powerful portfolio of innovations.
REDMOND, Wash. — March 6, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. has reached a patenting milestone by logging its 5,000th patent granted in the United States. Patent no. 6,999,083 provides for technologies that allow people to not just play video games against each other online, but to join the game as a spectator from anywhere in the world. The patent, which covers technologies that will be featured in Xbox 360™ games, brings new innovation to online gaming by allowing consumers to tune into a video game much as they would a sporting event broadcast. Obtaining its 5,000th U.S. patent marks Microsoft’s progress in developing innovations and opening the doors over the past three years to its multibillion-dollar research and development efforts.
10,000 “Eureka Moments,” and Counting
Microsoft has been awarded its 10,000th U.S. patent for a unique way of interacting with surface computers.
Microsoft’s 10,000th patent can, among other things, be used to associate objects such as keys placed on a Microsoft Surface computer with particular blocks of data, such as music files.
REDMOND, Wash. – Feb. 10, 2009 – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently awarded Microsoft Corp. its 10,000th U.S. patent. The invention, U.S. Patent No. 7,479,950, applies to surface computing technology and outlines how users can place real objects — anything from cell phones to their own fingers — on the computer’s tablelike display and the computer will automatically identify the objects and track their position, orientation and motion. This allows the objects to be associated with data or media, like a specific collection of music or photos.
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