The DVD6C Licensing Agency (DVD6C), the industry body representing the seven leading developers of DVD technology and formats -- AOL Time Warner Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., IBM Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) -- today announced that it expects to start global licensing of essential patents for DVD-Audio and recordable DVD products on or about January 1, 2003. Licenses will cover both drives and media, including DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R. DVD6C's license portfolio for recordable DVDs has gathered together essential patents owned by its member companies. Licensees using its services will benefit from one-stop shopping for key intellectual properties, and be able to apply it to products that comply with DVD-format specifications defined by the DVD Forum.

Interested parties are also free to negotiate separate license agreements with DVD6C's seven member companies, rather than taking out a single portfolio license. The companies have committed to provide such licenses for their patents under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.

The DVD6C joint licensing program was launched in June 1999 to provide one-stop shopping for essential DVD-Video- and DVD-ROM-related patents owned by DVD6C members. Today's announcement marks the addition of recordable DVD-related essential patents to the Agency's license portfolio.

For the potential licensee's convenience, royalty fees under this licensing program are shown below. The details need to be confirmed in the formal agreement.

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