Schill Settles for $40M

Charles Schill, representing Ampex Corp., crafted a settlement whereby Ampex receives $40M from Sony Corp., settling a lawsuit over digital camera image-related patents. Sony can now use Ampex technology for a defined period, and will pay royalties for digital videotape recorders and digital still cameras that use Ampex inventions.

At issue is one patent, dating from 1989,  for technology that captures, stores, and retrieves images.

Ampex has settled with Canon Inc. and Sanyo Electric Co., and is in licensing talks with other companies.

Reported in “Sony to Pay Ampex $40M to Settle Patent Dispute” in the November 29, 2004, IP Law Bulletin.