OTTAWA, Canada – May 17, 2007 - Wi-LAN Inc. (or "Wi-LAN") a leading technology licensing company, today announced it has acquired an important and essential communications patent, U.S. 5,761,602, (the 602 Patent), for total consideration of approximately US$1.1 million. The 602 Patent has several claims which Wi-LAN believes would be infringed by any cable modem or cable set-top box used, sold or manufactured in the United States.
The 602 Patent, which expires in September, 2015, is not licensed to any party at this time. Its inventors have signed consulting agreements with Wi-LAN in order to assist with litigation and licensing activities concerning the Patent.
Among other things, the 602 Patent is believed to read on products compliant with the DOCSIS (Data over Cable Service Interface Specification) standards. DOCSIS is an international standard developed by CableLabs, a non-profit research and development consortium. Equipment compliant with the standard is employed by cable television operators to provide broadband Internet access and interactive services, such as Video on Demand, over cable infrastructure.
"This patent is a great find for us,” said Jim Skippen, President and CEO. “We believe it is clearly infringed by virtually all cable set-top boxes and cable modems sold or manufactured in the U.S today. With 2006 U.S. sales of cable set-top boxes alone estimated at over $2.5 Billion, this represents a significant market opportunity for us. As well, many potential licensees of our existing portfolio and the Tri-Vision patents, are also active in the cable modem and digital cable set-top box markets.”
“During the past eleven months, since we changed our business focus, we have significantly strengthened Wi-LAN. We have added strong management and cash, enabling us to make patent acquisitions or handle multiple litigations. Our already powerful arsenal of patents is getting even stronger as we continue to add more potent patent ammunition. A number of negotiations are currently underway with potential licensees which we believe could be completed before the expiry of our Early License Program on July 31, 2007. As our Early License Program winds down, we intend to consider becoming more aggressive with uncooperative infringers.”
About Wi-LAN Inc.
Wi-LAN, which was founded in 1992, licenses intellectual property that drives a full range of products providing access in wireless and wireline telecommunications markets. Some of the fundamental technologies covered by Wi-LAN’s patents include: CDMA, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, DOCSIS and DSL. Wi-LAN has already licensed its intellectual property to a number of major companies, including Cisco, Fujitsu and Nokia.
Forward-looking Information
Certain statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. These may include, without limitation, statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties related to all aspects of the wireless and wireline communications industry and the global economy. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not restricted to: the almost exclusive reliance of the Company on licensing its patent portfolio to generate revenues and cash flows; that the Company may be required to establish the enforceability of its patents in court to obtain material licensing revenues; that the Company will need to acquire or develop new patents to continue to grow its business; that the Company requires investment to translate its intellectual property position into sustainable profit in the market; that the Company is dependent on the performance of its key officers and employees; that changes in patent legislation or in the interpretation or application of patent litigation could materially adversely affect the Company; and that the Company has and may make acquisitions of products, technologies or businesses which could materially adversely affect the Company. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained herein, when estimates and assumptions have been used to measure and report results. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.
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For more information please contact:
Steve Bower, CFO, Wi-LAN
C: 613-697-7159
O: 613-688-4898
E: sbower@wi-lan.com
Lynne Bermel, Director Corporate Communications, Wi-LAN
C: 613-864-4058
O: 613-688-4897
E: lbermel@wi-lan.com
