Coby Manufacturing has announced it entered into a license agreement with Wi-LAN Inc., a technology innovation and licensing company, for Wi-LAN’s U.S. V-chip Patent. The agreement provides for the payment of running royalties for the life of the patent.

 

Coby develops, manufactures and distributes the latest consumer electronics products including home theater DVD players; LCD TVs and portable TVs.

 

Additionally, Apex Digital, a licensee of its Canadian V-chip patent, has signed a license agreement for Wi-LAN’s U.S. V-chip Patent and current licensee, Ultima Electronics, has also signed a license agreement for its Canadian V-chip Patent. These agreements provide for the payment of running royalties for the lives of the patents as well.

 

More than 80 electronics manufacturers have licensed Wi-LAN's Canadian and/or U.S. V-chip Patents including 16 manufacturers specifically for the NTIA converter box coupon program in the United States, which has been underway since February 17th, 2008.

 

So far, approximately 500-thousand coupons have been redeemed. Approximately 6-million of the 10-million coupons ordered to date have been issued and mailed to consumers. The coupons expire 90 days after being issued.

 

Wi-LAN’s portfolio of patented inventions applies to a wide range of electronics and communications products. Some of the fundamental technologies covered by Wi-LAN's patents include CDMA, DOCSIS, DSL, GSM/EDGE, V-chip, Wi-Fi and WiMAX (News - Alert).