The refusal of Apple (News - Alert) and Intel to participate in Intellectual Ventures’ latest acquisition fund maybe just as important as the two major companies which decided to take part, according to recent news reports.

Reuters reported that Apple and Intel said no to the offer – but Microsoft (News - Alert) and Sony said yes.

Apple’s and Intel's refusal was called “a dramatic departure" by Kevin Jakel, CEO of Unified Patents, in a statement to Reuters.

Apple and Intel invested in Intellectual Ventures (News - Alert)' previous funds, Reuters reports, based on court documents, as did Microsoft and Sony. Google invested in Intellectual Ventures in 2003 but stopped after that.

Amy Landers, a professor at University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, told Reuters (News - Alert), "The companies that are not investing in the fund have probably just found better uses for their money.”

Intellectual Ventures has been able to raise some $6 billion. The company has also acquired 70,000 patents and IP assets, Reuters said.  MobileWorldLive says Intellectual Ventures was more interested in new investments as of last year, than getting new patents.

"Microsoft and Sony's investments give IV a fresh war chest to buy new patents," Jakel said.

Intellectual Ventures claimed last year it earned more than $3 billion in total licensing revenue. It now has some 40,000 IP assets in what it calls “active monetization programs.” Also, it has $6 billion committed capital, and it said it has paid almost a half a billion dollars to individual inventors.

Just how many people or institutions are affiliated with Intellectual Ventures? Some 4,000 active inventors are connected to the organization and there are some 400 universities and institutions in its network.

Looking ahead, Intel (News - Alert) and Apple still may want to invest in Intellectual Ventures in the future.

With the current patent debate before Congress, Intellectual Ventures and similar companies are getting criticized for not making that many tech products, but looking instead for royalties and initiating court cases, Reuters said. But Intellectual Ventures claims it allows inventors to “capitalize on their ideas,” Reuters adds.