German Patent Office registers three utility models for TRW-invented Odyssey worldwide satellite phone system.

REDONDO BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 1995--TRW Inc. Wednesday announced that Germany's patent office has registered three ``utility models'' to protect the TRW-invented Odyssey worldwide satellite-based cellular telephone system.

A utility model, or ``gebrauchmuster,'' is an intellectual- property right that provides many of the attributes of a patent and is enforceable for 10 years. Infringement of a utility model can subject the infringer to damages and an injunction against further use of the infringing system.

``These three utility models protect the Odyssey system design in Germany until our European patents issue,'' said Dr. Bruce Gerding, TRW vice president and managing director of the company's Odyssey Services Organization. Citing two U.S. patents granted earlier this year, Gerding said, ``The utility models add strength and height to the `fence' TRW is placing around its intellectual property.''

Odyssey will make it possible for callers equipped with a pocket-sized wireless phone to reach any telephone on Earth from anywhere on the globe. TRW and Teleglobe Inc., of Canada, are founding shareholders in Odyssey Telecommunications International Inc., which plans to develop the satellite-based system and provide service worldwide.

The German utility models register three separate inventions:

-- A satellite-based cellular telecommunications system having the satellites disposed in three orbital planes below 10,000 nautical miles with the orbits of the satellites being evenly spaced and inclined about the earth and where at least one satellite is visible to the mobile telephone at a minimum elevation angle of 10 degrees;

-- A satellite-based cellular telecommunications system having the satellites placed in medium Earth orbit, where each satellite has its antenna boresight centered on the service region served by the satellite during the time the service region is visible to the satellite, where satellite coverage overlaps for some length of time, and where calls placed from a user located within the coverage overlap region are assigned to the arriving satellite;

-- A satellite-based cellular telecommunications system where the satellites provide minimum 24-hour cellular-telephone communication coverage over a predetermined latitude range around the world which is less than full Earth coverage.

TRW has received similar Odyssey patents in the United States and has filed patent applications in the European Union, Japan, the Republic of China and South Korea.

TRW is an international company listed on the New York, London and Frankfurt stock exchanges, with 1994 sales of $9 billion (U.S.). With headquarters in Cleveland, the company provides advanced-technology products and services to the automotive, space and defense, and information markets worldwide.

Teleglobe Inc., based in Montreal, with revenues last year of $1.5 billion (Canadian), is a public company listed on the Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver stock exchanges. Teleglobe is one of the largest North American intercontinental telecommunications companies and provides services to more than 230 countries and territories through a network of satellites and coaxial and fiber-optic submarine cables.

CONTACT: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach

Jack Prichett, 310/812-5227