Advancing Open Source Patent Protection: Preservation of OIN 2.0 Source Code

DURHAM, N.C., May 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Open Invention Network (OIN), the only organization dedicated to mitigating patent risk in open source software (OSS), today announced the preservation of the source code that makes up OIN 2.0’s Linux System. The OIN 2.0 Linux System is the growing list of more than 5,100 open source software packages that defines the scope of the OIN 2.0 patent cross-license.

This effort is key to ensuring the long-term accessibility, integrity, and traceability of the critical open source software underpinning OIN’s Linux System definition. By pairing patent non-aggression with durable code preservation, OIN is strengthening both the legal and technical foundations of open source.

“Software Heritage serves as the steward of a vast repository of the world's software, including that which is incorporated in OIN's Linux System,” said Keith Bergelt, CEO at Open Invention Network. “The inventive value of the over 900 million lines of open source code contained in this repository has for years been inaccessible as a source of prior art that, if knowable, could be invaluable in increasing the quality of granted patents. Now with the application of AI to Software Heritage's comprehensive archive of the world's software we have an excellent chance at long last to facilitate the use of machine learning to translate the functional logic of stored code into searchable text and thereby transform the repository into a powerful prior art resource for contesting issued patents and informing the review of new patent applications.”

OIN has worked with Software Heritage – the world’s largest public archive of source code – since 2020, to save the code from OIN's Linux System in its repository. The OIN 2.0 Linux System source code that is archivable is now comprehensively preserved at Software Heritage. For OIN 2.0 Linux System packages, a link to the associated source code archived at Software Heritage may be found at www.openinventionnetwork.com/linux-system within the Lists of Packages, Table 13, by clicking on the package name.

The Linux System definition dates to 2005, and covers more than 900 million lines of code. Because of the sheer amount of software involved, over time, source code will disappear from the internet and from community-maintained records. This highlights the importance of actively preserving the actual source code included in the OIN 2.0 Linux System.

OIN 2.0 members can take confidence in knowing that all newly added packages to the OIN 2.0 Linux System (e.g., Table 13, Table 14, and beyond) will be fully archived in Software Heritage (www.softwareheritage.org), ensuring long-term accessibility and preservation.

Key Benefits to the Open Source Community

Long-Term Preservation of Key OSS Code
By archiving Linux System packages at Software Heritage, OIN ensures that essential codebases remain permanently accessible. This safeguards against risks such as link rot, repository shutdowns, and organizational change.

Greater Transparency and Traceability
Publicly searchable archives and direct links to preserved packages enable developers, researchers and enterprises to precisely identify the code covered under OIN’s patent cross-license. This enhances confidence in compliance, auditing, and dependency management.

Stronger Legal Certainty
OIN’s patent risk mitigation framework is now reinforced by verifiable source code, timestamped at the time of preservation along with provenance information. This alignment provides greater clarity and assurance for adopters, contributors and legal teams navigating complex OSS environments.

A Durable Foundation for Future Growth
As OIN 2.0 expands to Table 14 and beyond, contributors gain an additional layer of assurance. Accepted packages will be protected under OIN 2.0’s patent protection framework as well as preserved as part of a global, long-term software commons.

“This program goes beyond preservation - it reinforces trust in the open source ecosystem,” said Andrew Savory, Director, Linux System Definition at OIN. “By ensuring that all of the code that is now and will be part of the OIN 2.0 Linux System is permanently accessible, we are strengthening transparency, reducing risk and enabling innovation at scale.”

“Preserving the OIN Linux System source code in Software Heritage improves trust, transparency and long-term access to the software covered by OIN's comprehensive patent cross-license,” said Roberto Di Cosmo, CEO and founder of Software Heritage. “By ensuring that all OIN 2.0 Linux System tables are systematically archived, we have built and are maintaining a durable, openly accessible record of the evolution of this critical open source infrastructure.”

About OIN 2.0 and Open Invention Network

Founded in 2005, Open Invention Network is the only organization solely dedicated to mitigating patent risk in open source software. Its patent cross-license community includes over 4,100 members and more than 3 million patents and applications, fostering a global environment of patent non-aggression that empowers open innovation.

Launched in 2026, OIN 2.0 represents the organization’s evolution into a sustainable, shared funding model, enabling OIN to expand patent protection coverage as open source software grows and evolves across new technologies and industries.

For more information on OIN 2.0, visit www.openinventionnetwork.com.

Media-Only Contact:
Ed Schauweker
AVID Public Relations for Open Invention Network
ed@avidpr.com
+1 (703) 963-5238

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