Juli: I believe this is what Mr. Latif alluded to. But there is nothing I have been able to find today, altho there is some takeover speculation, which seems just that -- speculation. M2
STORAGE COMPUTER CORPORATION ANNOUNCES AWARD OF PATENTS FOR
Development of Parity Protected Disk
Arrays
Business/Technology Editors
NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 1999--
European Patent Offices (EPO) Acknowledge Company's Intellectual
Property Claims
Storage Computer Corporation (AMEX:SOS), an early pioneer in the
development of high-performance parity protected disk array storage
subsystems, today announced the award of its first European patent No.
0539494. Originally filed with the EPO on July 15, 1991, the
application survived active opposition from "interested parties" to
block the issuance of the European patent. The EPO patent issued today
sustains claims allowed in previously awarded patents to the Company
by the US Patent and Trademark Office. This award protects Storage
Computer's intellectual property relating to parity protected disk
arrays in key European markets.
Storage Computer's comprehensive intellectual property rights are
reflected in a number of issued and pending US and foreign patents.
Together, these patents encompass the core technology underlying the
development and operation of virtually all computer storage subsystem
products produced and marketed by numerous companies throughout the
world. However, Storage Computer's patented technology has not been
licensed to others. The Company's critical patents cover SCSI disk
arrays, parity-protected disk arrays and Storage Computer's unique
asynchronous storage architecture marketed as "RAID 7." Other patents
protect the software implementation of "Virtual Storage Devices" with
allowed claims covering magnetic disk, optical disk and magnetic tape
and tape libraries running as "virtual devices" under software
control. In addition, the Company's issued patents cover the basic
architecture and software control of implementations known as Storage
Area Networks or SAN's.
"The basic inventions of SCSI-attached Disk Arrays, Parity
Protected Disk Arrays, 'virtual storage devices', and 'storage area
networks' are based on our research and development work dating back
to the 1980's. These inventions are disclosed in our first patent
#4,942,579 for the unique asynchronous storage array architecture
called RAID 7. They are further described and claimed in our US
patents: 5,257,367; 5,720,027; 5,732,238; 5,790,774; and 5,893,919,"
commented Ted Goodlander, CEO of Storage Computer Corporation. "As a
leading technology firm, we are complimented by the stream of new
product announcements from major vendors that incorporate our patented
inventions. As a business organization, we are keenly aware that many
of these newly announced products may infringe one or more of our
issued patents. Our pending patent applications may also be applicable
to these products."
"Cab-Tek, Inc., Storage Computer's predecessor company was the
first to invent the SCSI-based disk array and the first to invent the
parity-protected disk array," stated Anthony Davis of Davis & Bujold,
Patent Counsel to the Companies since 1981. "During the patent
procurement process, it became apparent that these were pioneering
inventions and that no prior art existed with respect to what are now
commonly called RAID disk arrays. The most recent patent issued
reflects Storage Computer's ability to continue to invent the art well
in advance of others." When Storage Computer was created as the
successor of Cab-Tek, Inc. in 1991, it acquired ownership of all of
the intellectual property developed by Cab-Tek over the previous seven
years.
Storage Computer is currently formulating a licensing and
enforcement strategy that is intended to maximize the Company's
investment in the patented technology. According to market estimates
by IDC and Salomon, Smith, Barney, the worldwide Disk Storage
Subsystem revenues between 1994 and 1999 approximate US$154.5 Billion.
They forecast the market revenues in 2000 at $35.8 Billion; 2001 at
$39.8 Billion; and 2002 at $45.0 Billion. The Company believes that a
substantial percentage of these Storage Subsystem sales infringe the
Company's patents and Intellectual Property rights.
About Storage Computer Corporation
Storage Computer Corporation develops and manufactures
software-driven multi-host storage solutions used to drive core
business applications. Storage Computer solves its customer's business
problems through its StorageSuite(tm) product line and patented
OmniRAID and OmniFORCE storage software. Storage Computer Corporation
is a publicly held company traded on the American Stock Exchange under
the symbol SOS. The Company's worldwide headquarters are in Nashua,
New Hampshire, with subsidiaries and distribution in over 30
countries. Company information may be found on the World Wide Web at
storage.com.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 contains
certain safe harbors regarding forward-looking statements. From time
to time, information provided by the Company or statements made by its
directors, officers or employees may contain 'forward-looking'
information, which involve risk and uncertainties. Any statements in
this report that are not statements of historical fact are
forward-looking statements (including, but not limited to, statements
concerning the characteristics and the growth of the Company's market
and customers, the Company's objectives and plans for future
operations, possible acquisitions and the Company's expected liquidity
and capital resources). Such forward-looking statements are based on a
number of assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties,
and accordingly, actual results could differ materially. Factors that
may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the
continued and future acceptance of the Company's products and
services, the rate of growth in the industries of the Company's
customers; the presence of competitors with greater technical,
marketing and financial resources; the Company's ability to promptly
and effectively respond to technological change which meets evolving
customer needs; capacity and supply constraints or difficulties; and
the Company's ability to successfully integrate new operations.
Storage Computer and RAID 7 are registered trademarks; and
OmniRAID Server, OmniRAID SuperServer, and OmniForce are trademarks of
Storage Computer Corporation. All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are the properties of their respective holders.
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