(16 May 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Tri-Vision International Ltd has licensed its V-chip technology to Humax Co. Ltd. of Korea, which is a leading digital satellite set-top box manufacturer.

The license is valid through the expiration of the patent in 2016.

"We are delighted to award a US license to one of the world's leading digital satellite set-top box manufacturers. Humax is exporting an extensive array of diversified digital television products and will play an important role in North America's transition to digital television," said Tri-Vision CEO Najmul Siddiqui.

The Humax licensing agreement resulted from negotiations, similar to those that are currently ongoing with the some 20 other companies who have expressed their intent to acquire Tri-Vision's US V-chip license.

As part of the transition to a digital television 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 digital television 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 rules took effect 15 March 2006.

Companies which have acquired V-chip licenses for Tri-Vision's Canadian Patent No. 2,179,474 and/or U.S. Patent 5,828,402 include Sony, Hitachi, Sanyo, Philips, JVC, Matsushita, Sharp, Pioneer, Apex Digital, Samsung, LG Electronics, Funai, Orion, Toshiba, Eastech, Erae Electronics, Seiko Epson, Shenzhen KXD, Newlane, Xiamen, Konka, Optoma, Coretronic, TTE, Syntax-Brillian, Akai, Chunghwa, NEC, Viewsonic amongst others.