IBM has sold more than 100 technology patents to Western Digital.
The patents sold involve distributed storage, object storage and “emerging” non-volatile memory technologies, the two vendors announced Friday Australian time.
The companies did not disclose the value of the deal, which also includes “a patent cross-licence agreement”.
The intellectual property transferred from IBM will add to storage giant Western Digital’s existing portfolio of more than 10,000 patents and pending patents.
Western Digital chief operating officer Mike Cordano said that the landmark agreement sets up his company “for even more rapid advancement and commercialisation of new data storage solutions”.
Remarkably, 2015 saw IBM boast its 23rd consecutive year of leading all US companies in patents granted, according to statistics compiled by analysis firm IFI Claims Patents Services.
"This agreement with Western Digital illustrates the value of patented IBM inventions,” IBM intellectual property general manager William LaFontaine.
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