Patent licenser Wi-LAN Inc. acquires six new patents, relating to orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology, from the University of Bristol in England for US$300,000. OFDM reduces interference in Wi-Fi and WiMAX transmissions. “Patent licensing is a business where strength in numbers applies,” says Wi-LAN CEO Jim Skippen. “This increased patent coverage should allow us to read our patents on more and more products and a larger proportion of sales of prospective licensees. It will make it even more compelling for companies to take a licence to the Wi-LAN portfolio.” The patents, which come unlicensed to any other party, will extend the Ottawa company’s portfolio coverage in Europe and Japan.