Toshiba Gains in Cable Modems; Samueli, Blum to Speak
Tag teaming isn’t just for pro wrestling, as Irvine chipmaker Intersil Corp. and Holtsville, N.Y.-based Symbol Technologies Inc. are demonstrating.
After the two were named in a patent lawsuit filed by Sunnyvale, Calif.-based wireless networking company Proxim Inc., they hit back with counter suits of their own.
Both Intersil and Symbol have denied infringement of any Proxim patents. For its part, Intersil has lashed back at Proxim with a declaratory judgment action alleging that Proxim is liable for acts of unfair competition, breach of contract and patent misuse. Intersil also filed a motion in a Massachusetts federal court to have the case transferred to Delaware and join it with the Symbol’s own suit.
“We are pleased to partner with Symbol in this case, given Symbol’s unblemished record of success in patent litigation over the past two decades,” said Steve Moran, vice president and general counsel of Intersil. “We believe that Proxim’s claims against Intersil and the purchasers of our semiconductors are wholly without merit and constitute a calculated move on Proxim’s part to shift attention away from the recent abandonment by leading companies of Proxim’s (products) in favor of Intersil’s (products).”
Symbol also is arguing that Proxim’s lawyers can’t represent the company because they previously worked for Symbol.
Speaking in a bit of legalese, Leonard Goldner, Symbol’s executive vice president and general counsel, said: “I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with Intersil pursuant to which it will indemnify and defend Symbol against Proxim’s baseless infringement suit. Symbol will continue to cooperate in the defense and this arrangement also will allow Symbol’s legal team to focus its energies on pursuing its suit against Proxim for the infringement of four of Symbol’s patents.”
Other companies mentioned in the lawsuit include Cisco Systems Inc. and 3Com Corp.
Toshiba Modem Sales Up
Where some technology companies have watched business slow down, Irvine-based Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., is bragging just the opposite. The U.S. division of the Japanese technology company said sales increased 85% in the first quarter of 2001, with the introduction of its new universal serial bus cable modem.
In fact, Toshiba said it sold 373,000 units in the first quarter in North America, moving it to the No. 2 market share position, even though worldwide modem sales slipped 1.3% during the period. Sales of cable modems from rivals Motorola Inc., 3Com Corp., Com21 Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. all fell during the same time period, according to an industry survey.
Toshiba’s takes on the jump: “Toshiba engineers are continuously using the newest technologies available to create easy-to-install, inexpensive ways to access the Internet at the highest speeds,” said Fred Berry, vice president, general manager of the network products division at Toshiba America Information Systems.
California Software Signs Deal
Irvine’s California Software Corp. landed a deal with Waypoint Bank, a Pennsylvania bank, valued around $500,000. California Software makes products that assist companies in moving from IBM Corp. AS/400 servers to those running Windows and other platforms.
“The award of this contract is important to the California Software team,” said Kevin Graham, sales vice president for California Software. “This was a collaborative effort on the part of our organization in both Irvine and Richmond, Va.”
The deal comes after the software maker landed another deal with server maker and consultant Unisys Corp. late last month.
Mitsubishi Exec Promoted
An ex-military intelligence officer and electronics company executive has been promoted at Mitsubishi Digital Electronics
America Inc., the Irvine-based division of the Japanese conglomerate. Robert A. Perry, who has spent time at Sharp Electronics Corp. and Argo Furniture Corp. in addition to his time in the Army, has been elevated from marketing director to vice president at the maker of big-screen TVs.
Perry also serves on the board of directors of the Consumer Electronics Association and is vice chairman of the association’s video division. He also is chairman of the trade group’s Digital TV Transition and Policy Working Group and its 1394 Interface Working Group. Additionally, Perry is director of the Home Recording Rights Coalition, and dean of the Home Networking Track of the CEDIA Education Program. Perry earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College in Missouri and a master’s degree in management from Webster University in St. Louis. He lives in Mission Viejo with his wife Kimberly and daughter Ashley.
Samueli, Blum to Address Confab
Irvine-based Broadcom Corp. co-founder Henry Samueli, via videotape, and ThinkTank.com’s Scott Blum are slated to speak at a free conference at Chapman University designed to encourage OC’s young entrepreneurs. Kanatsiz Communications and nonprofit Young-Entrepreneur.org are sponsoring the event.
“Leadership and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand,” said Sinan Kanatsiz, chief executive of Kanatsiz Communications and Chapman University Alumnus of the Year. Members from business organizations including the Lincoln Club, YPO and AEA will be attending with their children.
The general public can learn more about the event and register at: www.socalleaders.com.
Bits:
FileNET Corp. founder Ted Smith will receive the 2001 National Human Rights Award from the OC chapter of the American Jewish Committee in recognition of his philanthropic work serving on educational and charity panels … Microsemi Corp. plans to split its stock 2-for-1, to be accomplished by way of a stock dividend. The stock split is subject to stockholder approval to increase the number of authorized shares of Microsemi’s common stock by 80 million shares, from 20 million to 100 million shares.
