This is an interesting story: a group of 6th-graders from Tucson, Arizona have developed an automated IV drop counter. This $1.5 device can help medical personal avoid errors (under-dosing or overdosing) - and is much cheaper than an infusion pump which costs $5000.
The kids used an OLED display on their device, and have requested a patent on the design.
We had the good chance to talk with Gerd Guenther, Novaled
's Chief Marketing Officer. He was kind enough to answer a few of our questions, and give us some information and updates from Novaled.
Gerd, thanks for your time. Can you explain Novaled's business model to us?
When Novaled started as a spin-off from Fraunhofer and Technical University of Dresden in 2001 with just 3 people, the idea was to market its doping technology Novaled PIN OLED®) along with its proprietary materials. Today, quite an impressive number of well known display and lighting makers are customers of Novaled. That means we offer IP, licensing and technology transfer packages but also R&D contracting as well as trainings.
Novaled 15x15 cm white OLED
Universal Display and Samsung announced another extension (till December 31, 2010) to their license agreement (that was announced back in 2005). Samsung will continue to use UDC's PHOLED materials (red, and soon green) in their AMOLED products.
The original agreement expired and the companies are still negotiating a new agreement - and in the mean time they keep extending the existing agreement.
Samsung have been using UDC's PHOLED materials (red, and soon green) for quite some time - the original agreement was announced in 2005. The agreement has expired, and the companies agreed to extend it for 3 months (until September 30th). Universal Display and Samsung will negotiate in an effort to enter into a new business arrangement.
Idemitsu Kosan said they have signed an agreement to acquire a 32.73% stake in Global OLED Technology. Global OLED Technology is owned by LG, and this company has over 2,000 OLED patents (LG created this company when it bought Kodak's OLED business back in December 2009).
Update: Nikkei.com reports that the deal is estimated at "several billion yen" (a billion yen is about $11 million). This makes sense, as LG originally bought the whole patent portfolio for $100 million.
Kim Hyo Wook, a Korean Patent Office’s assessment team examiner has made a presentation for "Patent trend of OLED and Patent Office's Intellectual Property Support Program". OLEDNet has posted a summary of this presentation.
According to Kim's presentation, the key fields of technology development is Large Size and Long Life. Large Size technologies are being developing by laser and inkjet panel manufacturing companies with evaporating deposition system while Long Life technologies are being developing by cover packaging material makers and organic material makers.
According to a new research by Cintelliq, there's an "explosive growth" in OLED Lighting patents since 2000. 90% of the patents has appeared since 2000. One of the driving factors has been increased government funding. The new study identifies over 1,800 white OLED patents (EP, JP, US, and WO).
Back in December, LG announced it will buy Kodak's OLED unit. Back then the price was not revealed - but in Kodak's latest quarterly report they reveal that the price was $100 million. Kodak also entered into a licensing transaction with LG which gave them $414 million in revenue, this is not related to OLEDs.
Kodak's OLED patent cover OLED displays architecture (including the white-OLED with color filter design), OLED lighting and OLED manufacturing methods. In June 2008 we posted an interview with Mr. Corey Hewitt and Dr. James Buntaine from Kodak OLED Systems. In December we published an interview with Mr. Steven Van Slyke and Dr. Yuan-Sheng Tyan - discussing Kodak's OLED lighting technologies and business.
NanoMarkets have released a new report on OLED materials (Markets for OLED Materials: 2010-2017). They forecast that there will be an explosion in demand for OLED materials - which will grow from around $420 million in 2010 to $2.9 billion in 2015.
Key points from the report:
Update: the new company was indeed established, but the name is Global OLED Technology
LG Group has decided to create a new company that will handle all OLED patents and technology. It will be financed by LG Electronics, LG Display and LG Chem. The company will be created soon (hopefully before the end of 2009), and will probably be called LG OLED.
LG 15-inch OLED TVsThe new company will acquire all of Kodak's OLED patents, and will manage license contracts owned by Kodak.
LG Display is producing OLED panels (currently small/medium ones, up to 15", and has plans to start making large-sized OLED TV soon). LG Electronics is already selling OLED phones, and also the 15" OLED TV in Korea. LG Chem are working towards OLED Lighting, with plans to start producing panels in 2010.
