Samsung Electronics Co. says it has signed an agreement with Google Inc. to cross-license their patents.
The Asian tech heavyweight said on Monday the deal covers patents to be filed over the next 10 years as well as existing patents. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Allen Lo, a deputy general counsel at Google, said the deal allows the two to reduce the potential for litigation and focus on innovation.
Samsung said it also paves the way for deeper collaboration on research and development for Samsung and Google. The two already collaborate on smartphones and televisions.
Tech companies often use litigation to stop rivals from using patents without permission but many of the disputes end in cross—licensing agreements outside court. Samsung, maker of Android—powered Galaxy devices, is in legal fights with Apple.
