MediaTek Inc (聯發科), the nation’s largest handset chipmaker, yesterday said its latest patent dispute with US chipmaker Freescale Semiconductor Inc would not impact the company’s operations and shipments.
The firm’s comment came after the US International Trade Commission decided on Monday to launch an investigation into an intellectual property rights violation complaint filed by Freescale, which alleged that MediaTek and Zoran Corp were illegally using its patents and said TVs made by Funai Electric Co and Funai Corp contained the disputed chips.
Freescale requested that the commission ban imports into the US of the disputed products, according a statement posted on the commission’s Web site.
“Based on the information obtained, the lawsuit does not have any impact on the company’s operations and shipments,” MediaTek spokesperson David Ku (顧大為) said in a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
The company could not comment further, Ku said.
TV chips accounted for 15 percent to 20 percent of MediaTek’s total revenues of NT$19.88 billion (US$686 million) in the first quarter, while mobile phone chips were the biggest source of revenues, making up 70 percent to 75 percent.
MediaTek, which is the world’s No. 2 TV chip supplier after MStar Semiconductor Inc (晨星半導體), aims to seize 25 percent share of the world’s TV chip market by the end of this year.
Shares of MediaTek plunged 4.73 percent to NT$262 yesterday, under-performing the TAIEX, which tumbled 2.02 percent.
Meanwhile, MediaTek on Monday inked a technology licensing agreement with WiTricity Corp to transfer wireless charging technologies from the US technology startup.
Based on the agreement, MediaTek would collaborate with WiTricity to develop and market a semiconductor solutions for wireless charging over distances, the statement said.
“Our vision is to enable mobile devices to be totally wireless — no charging cords needed,” Ku said in a statement. “Wireless charging will become an essential built-in function for the next generation of mobile devices, and MediaTek looks forward to providing the best available wireless charging solutions using WiTricity technology.”
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