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Microsoft Corp., Redmond , Wash., and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Seoul, South Korea, announced that the companies entered into a broad patent cross-licensing agreement. The companies expect the agreement to accelerate their product development efforts. Microsoft has actively sought patent agreements with a range of companies to build bridges with an array of consumer electronics, telecommunications, computer hardware, and Linux and UNIX platform providers.

  Through the agreement, Samsung will obtain access to Microsoft patents that may be practiced in a range of Samsung’s existing and future product lines, such as computer products, digital media players, camcorders, televisions, and printers. In these product lines, Samsung and its distributors and customers may utilize Microsoft’s patents in Samsung’s products with proprietary software, and Samsung will also obtain coverage from Microsoft for its customers’ use of certain Linux-based products.

  Microsoft will gain access to Samsung’s large patent portfolio relating to digital media and computer-related inventions for its existing and future products.

  In the past 12 months, Microsoft has announced similar agreements with companies such as Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., NEC, Nortel, Novell Inc., and Seiko Epson Corp.