- In addition both companies reach settlement on other patent
infringement litigation -
Tokyo, August 04, 2005 --- NEC Corporation today announced that
it has reached a settlement with Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) in
the patent infringement lawsuits filed against it on September 3,
2004 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
California and the Federal Court of Canada, which claimed
infringement of NEC’s Digital Microwave Radio ("DMR") patents by
NEC Corporation.
As a result of the settlement, Harris has agreed to take a
royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license under NEC’s Digital
Microwave Radio ("DMR") patents. In addition, NEC agreed to dismiss
all claims covered by the lawsuits filed on September 3, 2004 in
the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and
the Federal Court of Canada.
"NEC is pleased to have resolved these litigations with terms
and conditions that recognize the value of NEC’s DMR patents," said
Botaro Hirosaki, senior vice president and executive general
manager of NEC’s Intellectual Asset Operations Unit. "We value our
intellectual property as an extremely important company asset and
will continue to take a firm position in enforcing its rights if
our patents are infringed by other companies in the field."
Under the terms of the settlement, Harris also agreed to dismiss
all claims covered by the lawsuit filed on December 6, 2004 in the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Furthermore,
Harris agreed to grant NEC a royalty-bearing, non-exclusive license
under Harris’ patents for Private Branch Exchanges ("PBX") and Key
Telephone Systems as part of its dismissal of all claims covered by
the lawsuit filed on December 6, 2004 in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas.
In conjunction with the settlement, Harris agreed to purchase
from NEC, and NEC agreed to sell to Harris, certain PBX patents
possessed by NEC. Also, the parties agreed to a patent cross
license as to all other product categories. No other terms of the
settlement were disclosed.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of the
world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and
enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized
needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of
the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored
solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron
devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks,
and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC
Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000
people worldwide and had net sales of 4,855 billion yen (approx.
$45.4 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2005.
For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at:
http://www.nec.com
* Newsroom:
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/newsroom/index.html
***
NEC Press Contacts:
In Japan
Diane Foley
NEC Corporation
d-foley@ax.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511