Small Business Patents & Corporate Patent Success Stories

Elonex Limited

CCPA became outside counsel for Elonex Limited, a London-based manufacturer of PCs, in 1994 through association with Dan Kikinis and Oakleigh Systems. Dan and CCPA cooperated in preparing, filing and prosecuting about two hundred patent applications over a five year period. One of Dan Kikinis’ innovations involved power management for computer monitors. Several patents on this subject were issued in the US, Europe and Japan.

In 2001 Elonex reached agreement with a number of manufacturers of monitors, including Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, Nokia, Philips, Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp and Samsung. Payments and royalties have exceeded 100 million dollars. In 2001 Elonex reached agreement with SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS of Suwon City, Korea concerning the licensing of Elonex’s display power management technology. Power management systems allow personal computer display monitors to consume less power after user-defined or default idle periods.

Samsung obtains a license under all of Elonex’s display power management patents worldwide. These patents comprise more than twenty independent claims directed to the power management of peripheral devices including display monitors; and enable PC systems to be energy efficient.

Samsung is the largest Asian-based global monitor maker to date to license Elonex’s technology. Elonex has previously licensed Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, Nokia, Philips, Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp and others. Elonex is confident that other Korean and Asian companies will follow Samsung’s lead and license this technology.

In addition to monitor power management, other patents in the Elonex portfolio have been successfully asserted.

Founded in March 1986, Elonex plc supplies complete IT solutions to a customer base that ranges from private individuals to multinational corporations and government departments. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports a complete range of desktop PCs, notebooks, and network servers. It also provides computer support services encompassing system specification, configuration, installation and maintenance.

In response to the demands of its customer base, Elonex has developed from a computer manufacturer to a complete business solutions provider. Under the title of Elonex Solutions (ES), the company provides a broad portfolio of offerings including IT Consultancy, Networking and Systems Integration, System & User Training, Internet, Intranet and Security, Outsourcing, Maintenance and Support, Thin Client Solutions, and Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity.