eggbert,
From 2/8/07:
http://www.tplgroup.net:8080/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187:nec-purchases-moore-microprocessor-patenttm-portfolio-license&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50
NEC Purchases Moore Microprocessor Patent(TM) Portfolio License
CUPERTINO, Calif. - Feb. 8, 2007 - Alliacense today announced that NEC Corporation has purchased a Moore Microprocessor Patent‚Ñ¢ (MMP) Portfolio license from The TPL Group. As the first global manufacturer to become an MMP Portfolio licensee in 2007, NEC closely follows in the footsteps of HP, Casio, Fujitsu, Sony, Nikon, Seiko Epson, Pentax, Olympus, Kenwood, Agilent, Lexmark and Schneider Electric, all of whom purchased MMP licenses during 2006.
"After several years of exhaustive study and negotiation, we are pleased with NEC's decision to purchase an MMP Portfolio license," said Mac Leckrone, Alliacense President. "NEC becomes our inaugural MMP Portfolio licensee in 2007 as well as the first to capture a berth in the Networking and Communications industry segment." He noted that the MMP Portfolio licensees in this segment, as well as future licensees in segments where early tiers have been captured, are subject to progressively higher royalty rates. "We are especially pleased that NEC has chosen to become TPL's program partner instead of continuing as a defendant with Matsushita and Toshiba, against whom TPL has filed broad-based infringement claims about 15 months ago in the US District Court, Eastern District of Texas."
According to Leckrone, MMP Portfolio patents encompass fundamental design techniques that enable higher performance and lower cost digital electronic systems ranging from cell phones and portable music players to communications infrastructure and medical equipment as well as automobiles, which today utilize dozens of microprocessors.
"As the number of our MMP Portfolio program partners continues to grow, so also has the business appeal of our MMP Portfolio Licensing Program," said Leckrone. "Just as importantly, each MMP Portfolio licensee stands as a solid testament to the long overdue return on investment to Chuck Moore and The TPL Group for the substantial risk they have collectively endured over the past two decades in developing products and commercializing related IP."
Go PTSC Onwards and Upwards!
Cheers~
