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Openwave and Geoworks Settle Patent Dispute
Terms to Benefit Both Companies and Result in a Cooperative Business Relationship
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and ALAMEDA, Calif., Dec 28, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Openwave Systems Inc., (Nasdaq: OPWV chart, msgs) the combination of Phone.com and Software.com, and Geoworks Corp. (Nasdaq: GWRX chart, msgs), a leading innovator in mobile data communications services and technologies, today announced an agreement between the companies to settle their patent dispute by entering into a royalty-free patent cross-license and a strategic business relationship. The companies will immediately move to dismiss their patent litigation in federal district court and in the International Trade Commission.
(Photo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001204/OPENWAVE )
Under the terms of the patent cross-license, Openwave receives a worldwide license to Geoworks' Flexible User Interface patent (5,327,529) and a second patent from Geoworks' patent portfolio to be selected by Openwave over the next 18 months. Geoworks receives a license to Openwave's 6,138,158 patent and a second patent from Openwave's patent portfolio to be selected by Geoworks over the next 18 months.
The Geoworks '529 patent is a method that enables one application to be run on a wide variety of devices, including mobile phones. Openwave's '158 patent is a method and system patent for combining narrowband and restricted narrowband channels for pushing rich content. This patent enables companies to send notifications via narrowband channels such as SMS, and enables recipients to pull the associated rich content through a broader channel such as a circuit-switched or packet-switched data.
"We are very pleased to have resolved our differences and now look forward to opening a new and positive chapter in our relationship with Geoworks," stated Alan Black, Openwave's senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief financial officer. "This agreement benefits both of our companies, our respective customers and partners, and the broader WAP community as a whole."
"This agreement allows us to focus on our core area of strength -- utilizing industry-standard technology for delivering mobile enterprise solutions, such as ERM, CMR, SFA, m-Marketing and m-Commerce, to customers in the travel/transportation, financial services and media industries," said Adam de Boor, chief technology officer of Geoworks. "We are looking forward to a new and mutually beneficial relationship with Openwave, and the opportunities for us to collaborate toward mobilizing the power of information."
The cross license agreement will allow customers of Openwave, including phone manufacturers, network operators, and Internet developers, use of the Geoworks Flex UI patent. Additionally, Geoworks will become a Preferred member of Openwave's Developer Alliance Program through which Openwave will refer to Geoworks enterprises that are seeking assistance in developing WAP applications. Geoworks will also be an Early Access Partner for the Openwave(TM) Mobile Location Server API's and becomes a licensed value-added reseller of the Openwave Enterprise Proxy Server.
About Openwave
Openwave Systems Inc., the combination of Phone.com and Software.com, is the worldwide leader of open Internet-based communication infrastructure software and applications. Openwave is a global company headquartered in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.openwave.com.
About Geoworks Corporation
Geoworks Corporation is a leading innovator in wireless data communications services and technologies for the business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets. Based in Alameda, California, the company has additional offices in New Jersey, Japan and the United Kingdom, and can be found on the World Wide Web at geoworks.com .
In keeping with U.S. law, Openwave and Geoworks note that this press release includes forward-looking statements pertaining to settlement and various business opportunities.
Actual results may vary significantly due to various risks and uncertainties, including final court approval. See respective Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and other filings available from Openwave, Geoworks and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
NOTE: Openwave, the Openwave logo and the family of terms carrying the "UP." prefix are trademarks of Openwave Systems Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
For more information please contact:
Openwave Systems Inc. Geoworks Corp.
Whitney Gould Bob Bogard
PR21 Geoworks Corp.
415-369-8108 510-814-5811
whitney_gould@pr21.com bbogard@geoworks.com
Source: Openwave Systems Inc. and Geoworks Corp.
Contact:
Whitney Gould of PR21, 650-369-8108, or whitney_gould@pr21.com,
for Openwave Systems Inc.; or Bob Bogard of Geoworks Corp., 510-814-5811, or
bbogard@geoworks.com
/Photo: NewsCom: newscom.com
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URL: geoworks.com
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