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5 December 2001
QED licenses Imagination Technologies' PC-TV tuner patents
to Hauppauge
QED Intellectual Property Limited ("QED") today announces that it
has granted a licence to Hauppauge Digital, Incorporated ("Hauppauge")
to use multimedia patents owned by Imagination Technologies plc.
The technology covered by the patents enables television to be watched on a
PC. Hauppauge's flagship product, the WinTV family, is the leading branded TV
card in the retail market.
The licensing agreement with Hauppauge is the first licence that has been granted
to a PC/TV card manufacturer. This follows on from similar licensing to Temic
Telefunken, Microtune, Philips Electronics and Samsung, who supply tuners, the
principal component on a PC/TV card. Together these companies represent the majority
of suppliers to the world's PC/TV tuner market.
These licensing agreements are expected to deliver royalties for Imagination
Technologies and for QED for several years.
Hossein Yassaie, CEO of Imagination Technologies commented: "We are delighted
with the relationship with Scipher and look forward to further successes with
the IP they are licensing on our behalf."
David Hulston, Managing Director of QED said: '' We are extremely pleased to
have again successfully licensed Imagination's PC-TV tuner patents - this time
to Hauppauge. This again demonstrates the significant commercial benefit that
can be achieved by proactive patent licensing.''
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
About the patents:
TV tuner cards are commonly available from retail computer stores and, once
installed, allow the user to watch TV on their PC whilst simultaneously using
other PC applications. These 'add-on' cards retail at between $100-$200 (US).
The market in the United States alone is currently worth in excess of $200m. PCs
are also increasingly being sold with TV tuner cards pre-installed. The tuner
patents are of specific relevance to manufacturers of PC/TV tuner cards and PC
systems incorporating TV connection and tuning capability.
About QED
QED Intellectual Property Limited (QED) is the patent licensing arm of the technology
development and licensing company Scipher plc (FTSE:SIP). Headquartered in the
United Kingdom and with offices in Japan and Sweden, QED provides licensing services
to world class international clients, generating revenue and value from their
IP portfolios using its unique combination of commercial, technical, legal and
patent expertise.
QED's clients include British Telecommunications plc, Deutsche Telekom AG,
Imagination Technologies Plc, Simoco Digital Systems Inc., Toyota Central Research
and Development Laboratories Inc. Telstra Inc. and Unilever plc.
On 12 November
2001, Scipher announced an agreement to acquire Fairfield Resources International,
Inc. (FRI) of Stamford, Connecticut. FRI provides QED with a direct presence in
the US, making it a truly global patent licensing business with bases in the major
IP generating and licensing territories, the US, Japan and Europe. FRI has proven
capabilities in helping clients to deliver significant revenue from their IP portfolios.
Current FRI clients include Boeing, Kimberly-Clark, Praxair Inc. and Siemens.
For further information please visit the QED web-site at www.qed-ip.com.
About Imagination Technologies
Imagination Technologies Group plc is an international company that develops,
licenses and supplies market-leading 2D/3D graphics, digital video, audio and
speech technologies and products for consumer entertainment and PC Markets. The
company has deployed and planned technologies for games consoles, PC's, arcade
entertainment machines, digital set-top boxes, in car information/entertainment
systems, and mobile devices. Since it was founded in 1985, the company has introduced,
via licensing arrangements or directly, a succession of innovative technologies,
silicon chips and add-in boards, which have played a major role in the development
of multimedia and computer-based entertainment systems. Imagination Technologies
Group plc has its corporate headquarters in the United Kingdom and is publicly
traded on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE:IMG). More information is available
on the Imagination Technologies web site at www.imgtech.com.
About Hauppauge:
Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc., a subsidiary of Hauppauge Digital, Inc., has been
a leader in bringing TV functionality to the PC since 1992, The Company is the
world's leading developer and manufacturer of analog and digital video, TV and
data broadcast receiver products for personal computers. These video boards allow
PC users to watch television on their PC screens, video conference, and create
both still video images and digital video movies. Hauppauge's flagship product,
the WinTV family, are the leading branded PC/TV cards in the retail market, with
an estimated worldwide installed base of over one million users.
About Scipher
Scipher plc is the largest technology development and licensing company of its
type in Europe. Scipher delivers value from intellectual property (IP) in two
principal ways:
It commercialises patent-protected products developed by its own R&D resources,
through licensing or sale to high-growth markets around the world.
Using its extensive expertise in IP management it creates value from clients'
IP assets by providing a complete licence revenue generating service.
Scipher's impressive portfolio of advanced technology products and know-how
covers the markets for 3D Sound, Displays, Communications, Secure Identification,
Sensors and Broadcast Monitoring. Almost two-thirds of Scipher's revenues are
earned outside the UK in 49 countries.
Scipher is backed by more than 70 years in advanced R&D including developments
of such historic importance as stereo recording, television broadcasting and the
medical CT scanner, which won a Nobel Prize for its inventor. Scipher's continuing
tradition of technological achievement has been recognised most recently by winning
the 2001 MacRobert Award, the highest UK accolade for innovation, awarded for
Scipher's outstanding 3D Sound technology.
Scipher is listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE:SIP) and is a constituent
of the techMark 100 index. For further information, visit the web-site: www.scipher.com.
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