Apple and Google are bidding on patents from Kodak, the Wall Street Journal reports.

They are both members of two rival groups of tech companies making joint bids on Kodak's portfolio of 1,100 patents.

On one side is Apple, teamed up with Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures, the notorious patent firm. On the other side is Google with Samsung, HTC, LG, and RPX, a patent firm.

Kodak has been suing a bunch of companies, Apple included, with its patent portfolio.

The last time there was a major bidding war for patents, Apple's group, which included Microsoft and others beat Google, paying $4.5 billion for Nortel's portfolio.