Microsoft ranks No. 1 in patents [TechFlash]

A timely snapshot

Microsoft's business is under attack by Google, Apple and others. But there's one place where the software giant still rules supreme: Patents. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Microsoft's patent portfolio ranked the strongest in the software industry for the third straight year. According to the report, Microsoft was way out in front of its competition, with 2,918 patents granted last year. The next closest competitor in the software group was Oracle, which showed just 338 patents.

In a blog post, Microsoft's Bart Eppenauer wrote that the IEEE's ranking -- along with other recent surveys from Forbes and the Patent Scoreboard showing Microsoft' strong patent position -- indicates that the software giant's "focus on high-quality patent protection is working."

Microsoft ranks No. 1 in patents