Nvidia, Intellectual Ventures buy IPWireless patents

wireless patents focused on LTE, 3G and 4G, ZDNet reports.

The companies acquired the patents from IPWireless.

Nvidia and Intellectual Ventures on Monday announced a partnership to acquire a set of patents that IPWireless developed and owns, NewsFactor writes.

The portfolio spans about 500 patents granted and pending in the wireless communication realm. Patents cover essential concepts in LTE, LTE-Advanced and 3G and 4G technologies.

"This acquisition complements our ownership of extensive fundamental patents in graphics, visual and mobile computing," said David Shannon, EVP and general counsel at Nvidia. "These patents, acquired in collaboration with Intellectual Ventures, will help support our rapidly expanding efforts in the mobile business."

The Wall Street Journal reports that Nvidia is known for graphics processing units (GPUs), which generate visual effects in videogames played on personal computers and consoles. It has placed a major bet that it can move beyond PCs and into mobile devices with its mobile processor, called Tegra.