NVIDIA, Intellectual Ventures partner to acquire 4G patents from IPWireless

It's hard to read the word 'patent' and not leap immediately to 'infringement,' given the tech industry's recent track record. But in this rare case, access to that oft-contested IP is being spread like love -- very expensive love. Under the terms of a joint agreement, NVIDIA and Intellectual Ventures have acquired nearly 500 patents from IPWireless, some of which pertain to essential tech for LTE, LTE-Advanced and 3G / 4G, bolstering the duo's inroads into the mobile space. Though the exact financials weren't disclosed, IPWireless will retain the right to utilize that portfolio royalty-free for as long as it chooses, while NVIDIA will have to license whatever patents it didn't acquire from its partner. With official word of LTE Tegra 3 chips being pushed off into 2013, this latest business handshake's paving the way for an uncontested market debut. Check out the official PR after the break.