----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> > FORGENT SETTLES JPEG PATENT CASES > > On November 1st, Forgent Networks announced that it had settled its > lawsuit over the JPEG patents for $8 million. Forgent, an intellectual > property firm that licenses communications technology and software for > business meetings, announced that it had settled all of the remaining > claims in the cases involving U.S. patent number 4,698,672. The company > said that the JPEG standard--the image compression mechanism used in > digital cameras and PCs--infringed upon the patent, which Forgent acquired > in 1997. About 60 companies, including several camera makers, had already > cut licensing deals with Forgent. These deals have brought in > approximately $110 million in royalties. PC makers, however, balked at > licensing deals, which led to the lawsuit. The suit originally involved > about 45 defendants, but 15 settled before this final settlement. Forgent > claimed the patent was worth around $1 billion. However, the U.S. Patent > and Trademark Office agreed to review the validity of the patent in > February. Legal fees became mountainous. In June, a court limited the > scope of the claims emanating from the patent. Finally, Forgent agreed to > the settlement. Further information may be found at > http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=forg&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=925001
