Will,
SanDisk is the originator of CF. To make the standard viable long term the CF Association was formed so that OEM's and others interested in promoting the standard may incorporate the design/form factor into future products (digital cameras, smart phones, GPS equipment, defibrillators,...). Now just about any Tom, Dick or Harry can set up shop in their garage and make a CF card. The question is, should SNDK get a royalty for this priviledge?
Read carefully below regarding future card-level agreements.
SANDISK AND SST SIGN PATENT CROSS-LICENSING
AGREEMENT FOR FLASH CARD PRODUCTS
SUNNYVALE, CA, July 8, 1998 – SanDisk Corporation
(SNDK:NASDAQ) and SST (Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.)
(SSTI:NASDAQ) today announced that they have signed a patent
cross-licensing agreement for flash card products.
Under the agreement, SanDisk and SST have licensed each other's patents
covering the design and manufacture of flash card products, giving both
companies worldwide rights to use those patents. Specific terms of the
agreement are confidential.
Eli Harari, SanDisk president and CEO, said, "We are very happy to
announce this patent cross-licensing agreement with Silicon Storage
Technology, an innovative, cutting-edge company in the flash card market.
This is SanDisk's first card-level patent cross-licensing agreement and we
expect that similar card-level agreements will be signed later with other flash
card companies. This agreement between SanDisk and SST will provide
added impetus to the growth of the flash data storage market and is a
further confirmation of the fundamental value of SanDisk's intellectual
property patents in this rapidly growing flash card market."
Bing Yeh, president and CEO of SST, said, "This agreement allows each of
our companies to respect the technology contributions of the other and
results in increased freedom to design and manufacture new products
without the threat of patent infringement. This will provide both companies
with a level playing field on which to compete. We are very pleased to have
established this cross-license relationship with SanDisk. This is an excellent
agreement for both companies."
SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash data storage
products, designs, manufactures and markets industry-standard, solid-state
data, digital imaging and audio storage products using its patented, high
density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is based in
Sunnyvale, CA.
The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking
statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as described
under the caption "Risk Factors" in SanDisk's annual report on Form 10-K
and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update the information
in this release.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, SST (SSTI:NASDAQ) designs,
manufactures and markets low-cost, high-quality flash memory components
for the computer, communications and consumer markets. Current product
families include single-power supply (5.0V-only, 3.0V-only or 2.7V-only),
small erase-block flash memory components as well as two-power supply
MTP (Many-Time Programmable) flash products. SST is also designing
products for the mass storage and flash embedded controller markets. All
SST memory components products are based on patented, proprietary
SuperFlash technology. SST offers this technology for embedded
applications through its manufacturing partners and technology licensees
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), Samsung
Electronics Co. Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., and Seiko Epson Corp.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release
contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
These risks may include timely development, acceptance and pricing of new
products, the terms and conditions associated with licensees' royalty
payments, the impact of competititive products and pricing, and general
economic conditions as they affect SST's customers, as well as other risks
detailed from time to time in the company's SEC reports, including the
report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 1997.
For more information about SST and the company's comprehensive list of
product offerings, please call 1-800/SST-CHIP or 1-888/221-1178 (North
America) or 1-732/544-2873 (International) for SST's literature
fax-on-demand service. Information can also be requested via email to
sfoster@ssti.com or through SST's website at ssti.com. SST is
located at 1171 Sonora Court, Sunnyvale, CA; telephone: 408/735-9110;
fax: 408/735-9036.
The SST logo and SuperFlash are registered trademarks of SST. MTP is a
trademark of SST.
All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. |
