MTU Aero Engines, Germany’s largest engine manufacturer, has joined the Open Invention Network (OIN). The industry consortium collects patents to protect the Linux environment. The patents that are a part of the Open Invention Network are available to any interested party to use free of charge as long as that entity does not file patent claims against Linux or any other software involved.
About 450 development engineers work with computing-intensive simulation programs to develop competitive engines at MTU. Complex algorithms make it possible to predict the aerodynamic, thermodynamic, and mechanical behavior of components as early as during the design and configuration phase, thereby optimizing component geometry.
“We support OIN because it’s important to us to keep the Linux kernel free of patents and possible lawsuits. The network enables a lot of interaction within the community. By joining, we are saying that we stand behind Linux and want it to stay open,” says Dr. Lutz Seidenfaden, CIO, MTU.