AURL counter-attacking CREAF after CREAF lost its suit to AURL. NEWS:
Aureal Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Creative Labs
SoundBlaster Live! Infringes Aureal's 3D Audio Patents
FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Aureal Semiconductor Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AURL) today announced that it has filed a lawsuit alleging patent infringement against Creative Technology, Ltd., a Singapore corporation and two of its subsidiaries Creative Labs, Inc. and E-Mu Systems, Inc., ("Creative") both California corporations in federal district court in the Northern District of California. Aureal's lawsuit alleges that Creative is infringing on two key 3D audio patents, Patent No. 5,596,644 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Efficient Presentation of Hi-Quality 3-Dimensional Audio," and Patent No. 5,802,180 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Efficient Presentation of Hi-Quality 3-Dimensional Audio Including Ambient Effects."
The 5,596,644 patent was the subject of previous licensing discussions between Aureal and Creative's subsidiary, E-mu Systems. The complaint requests an injunction against SoundBlaster Live! and SoundBlaster Live! Value as well as damages. Aureal provided Creative with notice of this lawsuit and sufficient time to discuss potential resolution of the matter.
"The Aureal team has over ten years of experience and investment in 3D audio technology and has built a patent portfolio with respect to audio and 3D audio in particular," said Kip Kokinakis, Aureal's President and CEO. "While we would prefer a non-litigation solution to this type of matter, we felt we had no other choice, but to assert our intellectual property rights through the courts."
About Aureal
Aureal builds advanced audio semiconductor and software solutions that increase functionality and features for personal computers and consumer electronics devices. Aureal develops audio processing semiconductor chips and sound cards and also licenses technology designed to define and improve advanced audio standards in the marketplace. For information on Aureal, its products, and its industry leading A3D audio technologies, please call Corporate Communications at 510-252-4582 or visit Aureal's Websites at www.aureal.com and www.a3d.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, dependence on the PC and consumer electronics industries and on product lines based on new technologies; foundry capacity, availability and reliability; competition and pricing pressures; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
NOTE: Aureal, the Aureal logo, Aureal 3D and A3D are trademarks of Aureal Semiconductor Inc. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. |
