Samsung Joins DVD6C in Licensing DVD Patents

Tokyo, Japan , 2006-11-21

The DVD6C Licensing Group (DVD6C), whose members include eight leading developers of DVD technology and formats -- Hitachi, Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. -- has announced that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SAMSUNG) joined its worldwide joint licensing program which provides manufacturers of DVD products the ability to license essential DVD patents owned by the group's members.

DVD6C has licensed essential DVD patents owned by its member companies since June 1999 (adding licensing for DVD-Recorders, DVD-Audio Players, DVD-R, -RW and -RAM Drives, DVD-Audio, -R, -RW, -and -RAM Discs and Cases in September 2003). DVD6C's licenses cover patents owned by the 6C member companies that are essential for products that comply with the DVD-format specifications defined by the DVD Forum.

Membership of SAMSUNG in the joint licensing program will benefit existing and future licensees of DVD6C, who will obtain a license to additional essential patents for the DVD products at no additional charge.

Interested parties will remain free to negotiate individual license agreements with DVD6C's member companies, rather than taking licenses from DVD6C. The member companies have committed to provide such licenses under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.

Japan:

    Toshihiro Shinohara

    Vice President and General Manager, Licensing

    Toshiba DVD License Services, Inc.

    5th Floor, Sumitomo-Hamamatsucho Bldg.

    18-16, Hamamatsucho 1-chome, Minato-ku

    Tokyo 105-0013, Japan

    Phone: +81-3-5777-3286

    Fax: +81-3-5401-2503

    E-mail: [email protected]



Europe and Africa:

    Masahiro Ogura

    Vice President & General Manager

    Toshiba of Europe Limited

    Santander House

    6th Floor, 100 Ludgate Hill,

    London, EC4M 7RE

    United Kingdom

    Phone: +44(0)20 7332 9862

    Fax: +44(0)20 7332 9889

    E-mail: [email protected]



Asia (excluding Japan), Oceania and the Middle East:

    Takao Kato

    Department Manager

    DVD Licensing Center

    Hitachi Ltd.

    Shin-Otemachi Bldg., 2-1 Otemachi 2-chome,

    Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan

    Phone: +81-3-4232-5052

    Fax: +81-3-4232-5091

    E-Mail: [email protected]



The Americas:

    Masahisa Saito

    Panasonic Corporation of North America

    Exclusive Regional Agent for DVD6C Licensing Agency

    c/o Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

    201 Redwood Shores Parkway

    Redwood Shores, California 94065, USA

    Phone: 650-802-3146

    Fax: 650-802-3100

    E-Mail: [email protected]



Press Contact:

    Junko Furuta

    Toshiba Corporation

    Corporate Communications Office

    Phone: +81-3-3457-2105

    Fax: +81-3-5444-9202

    URL: http://www.toshiba.co.jp/contact/media.htm