Microsoft and Samsung announced that they have entered a patent licensing agreement, an Associated Press report said.
The Associated Press report quoted a joint release saying that the two firms expect the pact will 'accelerate their respective product development.'
The report said Samsung will be able to use Microsoft patents relating to a range of the South Korean company's 'existing and future product lines, such as computer products, set-top-boxes, digital media players, camcorders, televisions, printers, and home appliances,' the release said.
Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung is the world's largest memory chip maker and a leading producer of consumer electronics such as flat-screen televisions, mobile phones, MP3 players and laptop computers, the report said.
The release said that Samsung was the largest publisher of US patents in 2006 and owner of one of the largest US patent portfolios, the report further said.
Microsoft, the world's biggest software company, will have access to Samsung patents related to digital media and computers, the companies said.
Financial terms were not disclosed.