Microsoft Lands Milestone 5,000th Patent: Multibillion-dollar research and development investment yields powerful portfolio of innovations.

Microsoft Lands Milestone 5,000th Patent: Multibillion-dollar research and development investment yields powerful portfolio of innovations.: "Microsoft Corp. has reached a patenting milestone by logging its 5,000th patent granted in the United States. Patent no. 6,999,083 provides for technologies that allow people to not just play video games against each other online, but to join the game as a spectator from anywhere in the world. The patent, which covers technologies that will be featured in Xbox 360 games, brings new innovation to online gaming by allowing consumers to tune into a video game much as they would a sporting event broadcast. Obtaining its 5,000th U.S. patent marks Microsoft's progress in developing innovations and opening the doors over the past three years to its multibillion-dollar research and development efforts."