Sony to pay 40 mln usd to settle patent dispute with US Ampex Corp
11.30.04, 11:31 AM ET

AFX News Limited

TOKYO (AFX) - Sony Corp said it has agreed to pay 40 mln usd to Ampex Corp to settle a lawsuit filed by the US visual information technology company over alleged infringement of the patents on its digital camera technology.

"We've come to terms with Ampex for an out-of-court settlement by paying 40 mln usd," said Sony spokesman Shigenori Yoshida, describing the settlement as an appropriate solution.

California-based Ampex Corp filed complaints with the International Trade Commission and a US federal district court in July 2004, asking them to stop the import and sale of Sony digital still cameras because of alleged violations of its patents on digital image storage and retrieval devices.

Under the terms of the settlement, Sony will be licenced under several Ampex patents to manufacture and sell various products, including digital video tape recorders and digital still cameras, through April 2006, Ampex said in a statement.

"After that time, the licenses provide for running royalties based on sales of products, including digital video tape recorders and digital still cameras, to the extent that they utilize Ampex patents," Ampex said.

Ampex also said it has recently agreed with Canon Inc and Sanyo Electric Co Ltd on the use of its patents, primarily in digital still cameras.

Ampex is negotiating with several manufacturers of digital still cameras and camera-equipped cellular telephones and "anticipates additional patent license agreements will be concluded within the next 90 days," Ampex said.

nozomi.toyama@xfn.com

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