CNET June 29, 2008

Google is part of a group of tech heavyweights going on the offensive against the threat of patent-infringement lawsuits, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Sunday evening.

The group, which calls itself the Allied Security Trust, plans to buy up key intellectual property before it is obtained by parties who might use it against them, the newspaper reported. Joining Google in the group are Verizon Communications, Cisco Systems, Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson, and Hewlett-Packard, among others.

Is this an attempt to create a "walled garden" or a space for innovation, open to all?

see also: Selbsthilfegruppe gegen Patent-Trolle Spiegel.de and the ArsTechnica article