Press Release
Pantech Licenses Patents from Intellectual Ventures
October 12, 2011 SEOUL, South Korea and BELLEVUE, Wash.
October 12, 2011 SEOUL, South Korea and BELLEVUE, Wash.
Pantech and Intellectual Ventures (IV®) announced today that they entered into a license agreement that provides Pantech with a license to segments of IV's extensive patent portfolio, which includes more than 35,000 IP assets in more than 50 technology areas.
Pantech has the option to become a member of IV's IP-for-Defense program to help minimize risk of future litigation and maintain its focus on innovation. For customers accused of patent infringement, IV's IP-for-Defense program provides them with the ability to obtain patents from IV's portfolio to support counter-assertion, with the goal of enabling more efficient negotiations in order to reduce liabilities and achieve favorable licensing terms.
"As one of Korea's leading mobile handset manufacturers, it's important for Pantech to have an IP strategy that allows us to stay ahead of the curve and continue delivering innovative products," said Chadong Hwang, Leader of IP Strategy Team at Pantech. "This agreement with Intellectual Ventures strengthens our position in the rapidly evolving market by providing us with an efficient way to license a broad array of patented technologies so we can avoid potential disputes in the future and maintain a competitive edge."
"Now more than ever, invention rights are a crucial piece of capital in the mobile communications industry, and today's agreement demonstrates Pantech's progressive approach to IP strategy," said Mario Obeidat, head of telecommunications licensing at Intellectual Ventures. "Intellectual Ventures is working with Pantech to provide it with the invention rights needed to minimize risk and stay competitive in increasingly crowded markets."
IV provides a variety of solutions for companies seeking to develop and enhance their IP strategies. Companies of all sizes can rely on IV to meet their current business needs and to provide guidance on developing and acquiring invention rights relevant to their product roadmaps. In addition to traditional IP licensing deals, companies can work with IV's in-house inventors as well as its network of more than 3,000 inventors in 10 countries around the world to solve near-term technical issues and invent the technologies that will differentiate their next-generation products from the competition.