Inrix plans this week to start telling the world about its idea for predicting when the next traffic jam will occur, but it wasn't the company that developed the technology.
Rather, the core advances that are launching the Seattle area start-up came entirely from Microsoft's research labs. Though other corporate research labs have for years spun out unneeded technologies to start-ups, the Inrix deal is the first time Microsoft has decided to license out its research know-how.
"We still hope the vast majority of Microsoft Research technology is going to end up in Microsoft products," said David Kaefer, director of business development in Microsoft's intellectual-property group. "Sometimes they come up with great ideas that really aren't part of our core business plans."
And rather than let the good ideas gather dust, Microsoft said, it will look to see if it can put them to good use (and generate some cash) by licensing them out. It's a tack Kaefer said has been used well at places such as Xerox and Bell Labs.
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