Cooperation includes expansion plans for FFS technology into new markets
October 12, 2012, Hsinchu, Taiwan – E Ink® Holdings (8069.TW), the world leader in electronic paper displays and FFS LCD technologies, today announced that the company and its south Korean subsidiary Hydis Technologies (“Hydis”), have signed a ten-years patent cross‐licensing agreement for TFT LCD products with AU Optronics Corporation (AUO, 2409) of Taiwan.
Under terms of this agreement, both companies are able to use each other’s patents for the manufacture of LCDs. In addition, the two companies have agreed to expand a number of commercial cooperation. These include that E Ink Holdings will make modules for AUO, while AUO will supply TFT backplanes to E Ink/Hydis for mobile devices like eReaders, Tablets and others.
E Ink and its subsidiary Hydis are committed to research, development, manufacturing and marketing of LCD and ePaper displays. With the advantages of energy-saving, high-contrast ratio, and high-resolution, the FFS LCD technology has been widely used in high-end devices, including smart phones and tablets. Notebook computers and television are potential applications in the future. E Ink believes that this cooperation with a display industry leader like AUO, will expand the market and applications for its FFS technology based LCD products.
“The agreement with AUO is a tremendous endorsement for our FFS LCD technology,” stated Scott Liu, Chairman of E Ink Holdings. “Cross licensing agreements allow us to share patents while preserving intellectual property rights.”
"Access to Hydis' FFS LCD technology will allow AUO to supply products to some of the world's leading brands and in turn our factories will supply TFT backplanes to E Ink for use in various mobile devices" said Paul S.L Peng, President of AUO. "We are very excited about expanding the market and this collaboration with E Ink"
E Ink/Hydis has previously licensed FFS technology to several prominent display manufacturers who are already deploying this technology into tablets, mobile phones and other applications. The company will continue to proactively seek licensing agreements with world-class display companies that wish to use the FFS technology in the next generation of electronic devices.
