TOKYO, July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Advantest Corporation (TSE:6857)(NYSE:ATE), the global leader in semiconductor test systems, has announced that on July 5, 2007, the Hsinchu District Court (Hsinchu City, Taiwan) granted a preliminary injunction against TechWing, Inc. (CEO: Jae-Gyun Shim, headquarters: Hwaseong City, Republic of Korea; hereafter TechWing), following a petition filed by Advantest on February 8, 2006.
The said petition alleges that TechWing infringed patents registered in Taiwan by Advantest (nos. 086750*, 111444*, and 106527*). These patents cover basic design of semiconductor test handler structure. The Hsinchu District Court accepted Advantest's petition and granted a preliminary injunction, under which TechWing will be barred from and forced to suspend the manufacture, offer for sale, sale, use or importation of any test handler of the model nos. TW282, TW292, TW320 and related models of the series, and will be prevented from practicing or otherwise infringing any of these patents, until any final resolution on this patent dispute. In Taiwan, Advantest is planning to file a lawsuit against TechWing that will encompass any semiconductor test handlers (including these models and any other models) that may infringe the patents, requesting that TechWing cease and desist from such infringement, and seeking damages. Advantest is also considering the possibility of taking actions in other countries where it has applicable patents registered.
Summary of Patent
* Patent No. 086750: basic structure of test handler, order of main
components of test handler
* Patent No. 111444: transportation of multiple test trays
* Patent No. 106527: detection of remaining device on a test tray for
prevention of erroneous sorting Note: All information supplied in this release is correct at the time of publication, but may be subject to change without warning.
About Advantest Advantest Corporation is the world's leading automatic test equipment supplier to the semiconductor industry, and also produces electronic and optoelectronic instruments and systems. A global company, Advantest has long offered total ATE solutions, and serves the industry in every component of semiconductor test: tester, handler, mechanical and electrical interfaces, and software. Its logic, memory, mixed-signal and RF testers and device handlers are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has 43 subsidiaries worldwide. Among them, Advantest America, Inc. is based in Santa Clara, CA., and Advantest (Europe) GmbH is based in Munich, Germany. More information is available at http://www.advantest.co.jp/ DATASOURCE: Advantest Corporation CONTACT: Legal Department of Advantest Corporation, +81-3-3214-7578 Web site: http://www.advantest.com/ http://www.advantest.co.jp/
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