Microsoft donates 500 patents to startups to expand its Azure IP Program. Tech giant Microsoft is expanding its Azure IP Program with donation of 500 patents to LOT network and build Internet of Things with solutions that connect to Azure with access to thousands of patents. The company announced its new patent-program extensions, as well as a number of other IoT-focused product updates on March 28, a week ahead of the Hanover Messe industrial manufacturing show in Germany.