"I dug this up during an e-mail discussion with Horacio
Gutierrez, Microsoft's corporate vice president and deputy general
counsel of intellectual property and licensing, Gutierrez said, "We
have a history of licensing the patents in this case through patent
cross licensing agreements with other leaders in the car navigation
space, including Kenwood, Alpine and Pioneer, and through our FAT
LFN (File Allocation Table/Long File Name) patent licensing
program, where we have 18 licensees to date."...
"When asked specifically if "there are companies using Linux and
open-source software, which have signed FAT patent cross-licensing
agreements, such as the ones, which TomTom has refused to agree
to?" Gutierrez replied, "Yes, other companies have signed FAT
patent licenses, both in the context of patent cross licensing
agreements and other licensing arrangements."" From Mr. Gutierrez himself.--ed.