In a surprising move, Huawei has joined Open Invention Network (OIN) — the major US-based open-source patent protection consortium.

As a global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices and the first major Chinese company to embrace open source software (OSS), Huawei said it is reinforcing its commitment to OSS as an enabler of advanced communications systems.

• Huawei has become a licensee and member of the 3,200 strong community of OIN licensees.
• Open to all, 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.
• Funded by Google, IBM, NEC, Philips, Sony, SUSE and Toyota, OIN owns more than 1,300 global patents and applications.