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Ampex digital video recorder patents to Samsung
Ilse Jurriën : July 13th 2005 - 20:35 CET
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 Ampex digital video recorder patents to Samsung : Ampex Corp. today announced that it has concluded a license agreement with Samsung Electronics, based in Korea, permitting the use of several United States and foreign patents held by Ampex in the manufacture and sale of digital video tape recorders, including MiniDV camcorders. The license agreement also permits Samsung to use certain Ampex patents in other camcorders utilizing hard disc drive, optical or solid-state memories. The terms of the license are confidential. Pursuant to the license, Ampex will receive during its third fiscal quarter a negotiated payment totaling approx. $2.75 million to settle liability for past use of its patents prior to conclusion of the agreement.
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 Royalties - Period: till 2008
The foregoing payment also includes a non-refundable, non-forfeitable prepay-ment in respect of royalties due in the period through 2008. Use of Ampex's patents after that time would require negotiation of a new license agreement. Ampex has previously announced a license agreement with Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., a separate company which is the manufacturer of Samsung digital still cameras. Ampex continues to negotiate patent licenses with additional manufacturers of digital video recorders utilizing hard disc drive, optical or solid-state memories; digital still cameras; camera-equipped cellular telephones and other products.
Other licensees of Ampex patents
Current licensees of Ampex patents for use in digital video tape recorders are Canon Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation and Victor Company of Japan. Ampex has licensed its patents for use in digital still cameras to Canon Inc., Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Funai Electric Co., Ltd., Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., Nikon Corporation, Olympus Corporation, Pentax Corporation, Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., Sony Corporation and Victor Company of Japan. Certain of these licenses include camera-equipped cellular telephones. In October 2004, Ampex initiated litigation against Eastman Kodak Company in the International Trade Commission and in the Federal District Court of the District of Delaware for Kodak's unauthorized use of an Ampex patent in the sale of digital still cameras. Ampex may initiate additional litigation to enforce its patents if it is not able to conclude licenses on acceptable terms.
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