Digital Trends

Home entertainment manufacturer Onkyo has entered a patent cross-licensing pact with Microsoft that will let them each develop home entertainment hardware and software.

Software giant Microsoft and consumer electronics manufacturer Onkyo have entered into a patent cross-licensing agreement that will enable each company to leverage some of the other's patented technology to produce high-quality home entertainment hardware and software products. Although neither company disclosed the specific patents covered by the deal—or the specific terms—Onkyo will be sending some money Microsoft's way, in addition to patent licenses.

"We're very excited about this new collaboration with Microsoft," said Onkyo business development executive Nobuaki Okuda, in a statement. "We think a mix of technology, communication, and entertainment enables greater technology solutions. These agreements strengthen our collaborative relationship, which is of immense importance and will further help us address our customers' needs."

Onkyo is presumably interested in licensing Microsoft technology to tie forthcoming home entertainment products into Microsoft's digital media technology, likely including acting as a media server and adding the capability to play back and stream Windows Media content over home networks and between devices.

Onkyo also announced it has joined Microsoft's Windows Rally program, which will provide Onkyo streamlined licensing of Microsoft technologies along with technical guidance on setting up secure and reliable connections between PCs and other media devices.