DVD6C Licensing Agency
(Authorized Licensor: Toshiba Corporation)

NOVEMBER 19, 2002 -- The DVD6C Licensing Agency (DVD6C), the industry body representing the seven leading developers of DVD technology and formats—AOL Time Warner Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., IBM Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC)—today announced that it expects to start global licensing of essential patents for DVD-Audio and recordable DVD products on or about January 1, 2003. Licenses will cover both drives and media, including DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R.

DVD6C’s license portfolio for recordable DVDs has gathered together essential patents owned by its member companies. Licensees using its services will benefit from one-stop shopping for key intellectual properties, and be able to apply it to products that comply with DVD-format specifications defined by the DVD Forum.

Interested parties are also free to negotiate separate license agreements with DVD6C’s seven member companies, rather than taking out a single portfolio license. The companies have committed to provide such licenses for their patents under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.

The DVD6C joint licensing program was launched in June 1999 to provide one-stop shopping for essential DVD-Video- and DVD-ROM-related patents owned by DVD6C members. Today’s announcement marks the addition of recordable DVD-related essential patents to the Agency’s license portfolio.

For the potential licensee's convenience, royalty fees under this licensing program are shown below. The details need to be confirmed in the formal agreement.

For further information on Recordable DVD licenses, contact one of the following regional agents;

Japan:
Yoshitaka Honda
General Manager
License Management
Toshiba DVD License Services, Inc.
5th Floor, Sumitomo-Hamamatsucho Bldg.
18-16, Hamamatsucho 1-chome, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-0013, Japan
Phone: +81-3-5777-3286
Fax: +81-3-5401-2503
E-mail: yoshitaka.honda@toshiba-tdls.co.jp

Europe and Africa:
Hiroyuki Tsuruta
General Manager
Toshiba of Europe Limited
Audrey House, Ely Place
London, EC1N 6SN
United Kingdom
Phone: +44(0)20 7421 7610
Fax: +44(0)20 7421 7626
E-mail: hiroyuki.tsuruta@toshiba.co.jp

Asia (excluding Japan), Oceania and the Middle East :
Joji Ozaki
Department Manager
DVD Licensing Center
Hitachi Ltd.
292, Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku,
Yokohama 244-0817, Japan
Phone: +81-45-866-5815
Fax: +81-45-866-5906
E-Mail: ozakijo@itg.hitachi.co.jp

The Americas :
Masahisa Saito
Matsushita Electric Corporation of America
Exclusive Regional Agent for DVD 6C Licensing Agency
c/o Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
201 Redwood Shores Parkway
Redwood Shores, California 94065, USA
Phone: 650-802-3146
Fax: 650-802-3100
E-Mail: saitom@panasonic.com