In a move that will increase the pool of innovative technologies available to developers at network infrastructure firm Cisco, the company recently announced it has signed a new license agreement with WiLAN.

Based in Canada, WiLAN is a technology innovation company that has licensed its intellectual property to more than 250 companies worldwide.

Under the new license agreement, Cisco will receive multi-year rights to "virtually all" of WiLAN's patent portfolio, the companies said.

This is the second license agreement between the two companies. In October 2005, when WiLAN was beginning its patent licensing program, Cisco signed an initial contract with the firm. The new agreement will give Cisco license to use patents added to WiLAN's portfolio since the first agreement was signed.

Jim Skippen, chairman and CEO of WiLAN, said his company is "very pleased" to have signed a new agreement with Cisco. According to Skippen, Cisco's decision to sign a new contract is a "testament to the strength of our acquisition and intellectual property development programs."

The exact terms of the license agreement remain confidential.