Mosaid signs patent license deal with Sony

BANGALORE, INDIA: Patent licensing firm Mosaid Technologies Inc said it signed a worldwide, non-exclusive wireless patent license agreement with Japan's Sony Corp, sending Mosaid shares up 12 percent to a year-high.

Mosaid said it granted Sony a fixed-payment term license under its wireless technology patents, covering all Sony Wi-Fi enabled products.

The license deal is effective Jan. 1, Mosaid said, but did not disclose other terms.

"Wireless portfolio is one of the portfolios that could provide good growth for the company over the coming years," said analyst Sean Peasgood of Wellington West Capital Markets.

"The opportunities for them for signing others in the space is probably better today than what yesterday," he said.

Mosaid, which signed 13 wireless patent license deals in 2009, said it is now licensing its wireless patent portfolio into four markets -- mobile handsets, notebook computers, gaming consoles and wireless infrastructure.

Analyst Peasgood said this is the first time the company signed anybody in the gaming console base. There are a couple of heavyweights in the gaming space and there is more room for additional players to be signed in the laptop base.

Last month, Mosaid signed a new semiconductor patent license agreement with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd  over memory integrated circuit products.

Shares of Ontario-based Mosaid were up 8 percent, or C$1.71, at C$22.89 in midday trade Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. They touched a 52-week high of C$23.80 earlier in the session.