NEWS RELEASECOMPREHENSIVE RESOLUTION OF PATENT ISSUE RELATING TO
DIGITAL BROADCASTING SATELLITE (DIGITAL BS BROADCASTERS)ULDAGE and Digital BS Broadcasters Agree on Execution of License Agreements
September 1, 2015
ULDAGE Inc.
ULDAGE Inc., the patent pool license administrator, is pleased to report that, up to today, following
digital BS broadcasters and ULDAGE, after long-held negotiations, have executed license agreementsfor patents relating to digital BS broadcasting.
Nippon Hoso Kyokai, BS Nippon Corporation, Asahi Satellite Broadcasting Limited, BS-TBS, INC.,
BS Japan Corporation, FUJI SATELLITE BROADCASTING, INC., WOWOW INC., STARCHANNEL INC., Nippon BS Broadcasting Corporation, World Hi-Vision Channel, Inc., The Open
University of Japan, The Green Channel, Animax Broadcast Japan Inc., BS-FOX, SKY Perfect
Entertainment Corporation, J SPORTS Corporation, Fishing Vision Co., Ltd., IMAGICA TV Corp.,
Nihon Eiga Satellite Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcast Satellite Disney Co., Ltd.
(in numerical order of channel)
Digital BS broadcasting, which started in Japan in December 2000, is provided in conformity with theso-called ARIB Standards established through discussions among the participating members of The
Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB).

The Standards reflect technologies,

suggestions, and ideas of numerous broadcasters, device manufacturers, and other concerned parties,
and consequently, there is a wide variety of patent holders involved in such technologies, and a large
number of patents are also involved.
Unless appropriate measures are taken to tackle this kind of complex patent issue, the standards
themselves or the growth of digital BS broadcasting business itself could be negatively affected.
ULDAGE was established in July 2006 in order to resolve such patent issue and promote the growthof the digital television broadcasting system by gathering various patents relating to digital television
broadcasting in one place and then licensing them as a package through the so-called patent pooling1method.
At present, ULDAGE has pooled approximately 590 patents held by 18 patent holders.

Under thelicense program intended for receivers, which was implemented back in 2007, 158 licensee companies
manufacture and sell such devices, and the program has contributed greatly to the establishment of theenvironment for the expansion of access to digital television in relation to the complete transition fromanalog broadcasting to digital broadcasting.
Digital television broadcasting cannot be realized unless both ends exist: the broadcasters which send
signals that comply with the ARIB Standards and the television receivers which receive such signals.
Consequently, ULDAGE has long pursued negotiations with the representatives of the BS
broadcasters to materialize the license program for BS digital broadcasting.

The recent execution oflicense agreements with the BS broadcasters, following the license agreements with digital terrestrial
broadcasters concluded in March 2013, is groundbreaking in that the broadcasters will now reward thepatent holders, namely, the developers of the relevant technologies, by directly bearing an appropriate
proportion of royalties for the use of such technologies.
As a result, the broadcasters will be able to further their broadcasting businesses in a stable condition
without any concern over the issue of digital BS broadcasting related patents pooled with ULDAGE.

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About ULDAGE Inc.
ULDAGE Inc. was established in July 2006 for the purpose of providing tools for revitalizing businessby creating a competitive environment through collaboration and resolution of patent issues in thiscomplex digital age. ULDAGE Inc. undertakes its business by granting licenses for essential patents
held by multiple parties in a single package (by the patent pooling method) which offers convenience
to both patent holders and business operators.
Location:

Imperial Tower, 1-1-1 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Phone:+81-(0)3-3500-1572

President & CEO:Yoshihide Nakamura

Stated Capital:

60,000,000 yen

Shareholders:

Sharp Corporation

14.29%

Sony Corporation

14.29%

Toshiba Corporation

14.29%JVC KENWOOD Corporation

14.29%

Panasonic Corporation

14.29%

Hitachi Maxell Co., Ltd.

14.29%

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

14.29%

FAX:

3+81-(0)3-3500-1573