Shearman & Sterling is advising Sony Corporation of America on its planned joint venture with InterDigital, Inc. that will combine Sony’s consumer electronics expertise with InterDigital’s pioneering wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) and bandwidth management research. The joint venture, called Convida Wireless, will focus on driving new research in the growing field of M2M wireless communications and other connectivity areas.
Convida Wireless represents a new collaboration between Sony, a longtime technology leader, and InterDigital Solutions, a unit announced in October by InterDigital that explores new engagement models with industry players. Based on the terms of the agreement, the parties will contribute funding and resources for additional M2M research and platform development, which will be carried out by InterDigital Solutions. The agreement also includes a patent license from InterDigital for Sony’s 3G and 4G products.
InterDigital develops fundamental wireless technologies that are at the core of mobile devices, networks, and services worldwide. InterDigital solves many of the industry’s most critical and complex technical challenges, inventing solutions for more efficient broadband networks and a richer multimedia experience years ahead of market deployment. InterDigital has licenses and strategic relationships with many of the world’s leading wireless companies.
Sony Corporation of America, based in New York, NY, is the US subsidiary of Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.
The Shearman & Sterling team included partners Samuel Waxman (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions/Intellectual Property Transactions) andMichael Shulman (Washington, DC-Tax) and associates Alykhan Kurji (New York-Intellectual Property Transactions) and Derrick Lott (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions).
