HSINCHU, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Today AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) and AU Optronics Corporation America filed two complaints against Japan's Sharp Corporation and Sharp Electronics Corporation (together "Sharp") for patent infringement. The first complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. In this complaint, AUO alleges that Sharp infringes at least the following patents: US Patent Nos. 6,818,967, 7,057,359, 7,125,157, 7,259,526, 7,317,289, and 7,172,331. The second complaint was filed in the United States Central District of California and alleges that Sharp infringes at least US Patents Nos. 7,771,098, 7,723,728 and 7,101,073.
The alleged infringing products cover a variety of Sharp's liquid crystal display products ranging from small to large size, including Sharp's Quattron series LCD TVs which AUO believes to infringe at least US Patent No. 7,771,098, a multi-primary color display solution invented by the AUO Technology Center. AUO is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and permanent injunction against the infringing products, among other reliefs.
As one of the leading companies in the design, research and development, and manufacturing of TFT-LCDs, AUO is a technology innovator with a strong emphasis on R&D for display technologies. Established in 2002 and located in Taiwan's Hsinchu Science Park, AUO Technology Center is Taiwan's largest R&D facility for optoelectronics, and currently houses more than 2,000 dedicated R&D engineers. As of the end of 2010, AUO owns over 7,500 patents worldwide, with nearly 6,000 additional patent applications pending, which places it number 1 among Taiwan's flat panel industry.
ABOUT AU OPTRONICS
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is a global leader of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD). AUO is able to provide customers with a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications, offering TFT-LCD panels in sizes ranging from 1.2 inches to greater than 71 inches. AUO generated NT$467.2 billion (US$16 billion) in sales revenue* in 2010 and now houses a staff of more than 42,000 employees, with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in late 2008. The Display and Solar businesses were established respectively as the Company's two core businesses in October, 2010. For more information, please visit AUO.com.
* 2010 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD29.14:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on M
