IBM is granting developers unlimited access to a host of intellectual property governed by patents it holds that can be used to implement more than 150 standards designed to make software interoperable.

The software specifications and protocols involved in the pledge underpin a range of key industry standards, including those used in Web services architectures and Internet data exchange, according to IBM. The specs are all endorsed, or moving toward endorsement, by industry groups such as the World Wide Web Consortium and Oasis, the company said Wednesday.

Previously, developers wanting to access the protocols would have had to license them from IBM.

IBM said it hopes the move will further software interoperability while reducing patent litigation, which company officials said hampers innovation. "IBM is sending a message that innovation and industry growth happens in an open, collaborative atmosphere," said Bob Sutor, IBM's VP of open source and standards, in a statement.

IBM said its usage grant for the specifications applies not just to software developers and distributors, but to their customers as well.

But there's a catch. IBM said the grant is only valid for developers that aren't suing any party -- not just IBM -- over patented technology necessary to implement software standards.

The announcement Wednesday is IBM's latest move to free up patents relating to key software protocols.

In 2005, the company said open-source developers could use technologies governed by 500 IBM patents free of charge. The patents cover a range of technologies and methods relating to network monitoring, data encryption, and a host of other key IT functions.

IBM is the largest patent holder in the United States.