Acacia Research Subsidiary Licenses V-chip Patent to Hitachi.Business Editors & Television Writers PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2001 Acacia Research Corp. (Nasdaq:ACRI) today announced that its majority-owned subsidiary majority-owned subsidiary A firm in which more than 50% of outstanding voting stock is owned by the parent company. , Soundview Technologies, will receive payment and grant a non-exclusive license of its U.S. Patent 4,554,584 to Hitachi America Ltd., a division of Hitachi (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :HIT). Soundview recently granted a non-exclusive license for the same patent to Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG). Soundview's patent relates to television video and audio blanking technology, commonly known as V-chip technology. The license to Hitachi America is part of a Settlement Agreement regarding pending litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. brought by Soundview. The Settlement Agreement requires that both parties keep the terms of the settlement, including financial payments to Soundview, confidential. Soundview's V-chip technology, invented by Carl Elam, uses a television's receiver circuitry to decode content rating information sent as part of the broadcast signal. By utilizing the broadcast signal that carries closed-caption data, Soundview's technology is relatively inexpensive to implement. The industry and its trade association adopted this method as the technical standard for new television sets sold in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. that are required to have V-chip technology. Federal law requires implementation of the industry-adopted standard. The 1996 Telecommunications Act There are several laws named the Telecommunications Act
Soundview has filed a federal patent and antitrust lawsuit against television manufacturers, the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association and the Consumer Electronics Association. In its lawsuit, pending before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Connecticut. The court has offices in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven. , Soundview alleges that television sets fitted with V-chips infringe Soundview's patent. Additionally, Soundview alleges that the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association has induced infringement of the patent, and that the defendants have violated the federal Clayton and Sherman Antitrust Acts Sherman Antitrust Act, 1890, first measure passed by the U.S. Congress to prohibit trusts; it was named for Senator John Sherman. Prior to its enactment, various states had passed similar laws, but they were limited to intrastate businesses. by engaging in collusive col·lu·sive adj. Acting in secret to achieve a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful goal. col·lu  sive·ly adv. attempts to prevent others in
the electronics and television broadcasting industries from entering
into licensing agreements with Soundview Technologies. Soundview is
seeking monetary damages Monetary damages, in civil law, refers to compensation given to an injured party by a liable party. Monetary damages may be restitution, a penalty, or both. , an injunction preventing unlicensed use of its
patented technology and other remedies.
Acacia Research owns 66.7% of Soundview Technologies. About Soundview Technologies Inc. Soundview Technologies has acquired and developed intellectual property in the telecommunications field, including audio and video blanking systems, also known as V-chip technology. Soundview owns the exclusive right and title to U.S. Patent No. 4,554,584, which describes a cost-efficient method for implementing the V-chip system in parallel with the existing closed-captioning circuits already in place in televisions. About Acacia Research Corp. Acacia Research develops and operates life science and enabling technology companies. The company's core technology opportunity has been developed through its subsidiary, CombiMatrix Corp. Acacia Research intends to build and acquire companies in the life science and material science fields that will utilize CombiMatrix's biochip biochip Small-scale device, analogous to an integrated circuit, constructed of or used to analyze organic molecules associated with living organisms. One type of theoretical biochip is a small device constructed of large organic molecules, such as proteins, and capable of technology. Acacia Research's Web site is located at www.acaciaresearch.com. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion