Microsoft is paying Sun Microsystems US$1.95 billion as part of a deal signed last week--but Sun could gain as much as US$450 million more over the next 10 years through a patent provision in the agreement.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun disclosed the 10-year schedule in last Thursday's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that detailed the Sun-Microsoft pact, an alliance between bitter enemies that surprised the technology world. A patent provision in the agreement creates the potential for Sun to benefit from further Microsoft cash or from access to the software colossus' patent portfolio.
|