issue: December 2003 APPLIANCE Magazine China Report Samsung to Charge for DVD Drivers	Share  Printable format  Email this Article  Search
by Clint Stevens, China correspondent, APPLIANCE magazine Following 6C-Union's claim for large-scale compensation from Chinese DVD manufacturers, Samsung has begun charging patent fees for its DVD driver, according to Ping Zhang, vice-professor of the Law Institute of Peking University at the Beijing 2003 Standards and Patent forum.

Samsung has already sent official letters to 50 Chinese computer manufacturing facilities, claiming that its products incorporate authorized DVD drivers, which means that Chinese enterprises should pay patent rights fees for DVD drivers. Ms. Zhang said that at present, Chinese DVD manufacturers have already paid RMB 3 billion ($37 million) in patent licensing fees to 6C Union. Moreover, Chinese DVD producers will have to pay an additional RMB 20 billion ($2.4 billion) in the future.