Tri-Vision awards chip license to Chinese OEM

Tri-Vision International Ltd/Ltee announced that it has licensed its U.S. and Canadian patent to an OEM in China. The name of the OEM was not disclosed by agreement with Tri-Vision. The V-chip licenses are valid through the expiration of the patent in 2016.

"Signing both these Chinese OEMs is very satisfying for us," stated Tri-Vision CEO Najmul Siddiqui. Presently, licenses have been awarded to almost 40 percent of those companies who had notified Tri-Vision earlier this year of their intention to acquire the U.S. license, and work continues to complete the licensing agreements for the remaining entities.

Companies which have acquired V-chip licenses for Tri-Vision's Canadian and/or U.S. patent include Sony, Hitachi, Sanyo, Philips, JVC, Matsushita, Sharp, Pioneer, Samsung and LG Electronics.

As part of the transition to a DTV broadcast system in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated new rules to ensure that the V-chip can respond to rating system changes in all DTV receiver products. Tri-Vision's open V-chip (also known as V-chip 2.0) is the only known, patented technology capable of accepting modified or new rating systems. The FCC ruling took effect March 15, 2006.