Patents were designed to protect the innovator. But deals in the recent past prove otherwise. They are primarly used by the Big Boys to get money from the small guys or make them do things which actually prevents innovations.
Read this article to get an understanding.
This time, the lucky donor of cash for secrets is Brother, which will now be allowed to use Microsoft patents to make printers. As Microsoft doesn’t make printers–indeed, doesn’t even make printer drivers–it is an interesting exercise to try and guess what’s actually happened. It’s fruitless to ask either of the companies–and we did try. In cases like this, as in the best gangster movies, nobody ain’t sayin’ nothin’.