Google bolsters clout of LTE wireless patent group

Google is adding its vital portfolio of tech patents from its 2011 acquisition of Motorola Mobility to a global wireless patent group. Via Licensing Corp.'s LTE Patent Pool is a partnership of more than a dozen companies with a collection of patents for 4G devices including smartphones, tablets, video game systems and automobiles. While Google did sell Motorola's phone segment to Lenovo in October 2014, the company held onto thousands of patents involving mobile devices -- remember, Motorola invented the cellphone. "We are bringing to the table one of the most respected wireless patent portfolios in the world that was developed through decades of innovation at Motorola," said Brian Blasius, senior patent licensing manager at Google. "We hope other patent owners will join us …(and Via) to help enable companies across all industries to bring great wireless products to the world." Tech patent licensing drives billions in revenue annually, as device makers must license a slew of patents for the products they build. Via Licensing serves as a one-stop shop for next generation wireless patents owned by a dozen companies -- AT&T, China Mobile, Clear Wireless, Deutsche Telekom, DTVG Licensing, Hewlett-Packard, KDDI, NTT DOCOMO, SK Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica and ZTE Corp -- and now Google.