Eastman Kodak Company (Rochester, N.Y.), a pioneer in the area of organic light emitting diode technology (OLED), today announced a licensing agreement with Tohoku Device Co., Ltd. (Iwate, Japan). Tohoku Device plans to incorporate Kodak’s organic display technology into white OLED modules for use as backlights in displays. Tohoku Device joins more than 15 companies that have licensed organic display technology from Kodak.
“This is a great agreement for Kodak, and we’re delighted that Tohoku Device has chosen Kodak as a provider,” said Andrew Sculley, general manager, OLED Systems and vice president, Kodak Display Business. “This license enables Tohoku Device to provide high-quality, reliable products to their customers and will help accelerate the commercialization of white emitting OLED technology.”
OLED backlights—including white emitting OLEDs used as backlights—comprise thin films of organic materials that emit light when stimulated with an electrical charge. They offer thinner designs, better uniformity and lower cost relative to conventional backlights used in LCD displays. These benefits provide direct advantages for a variety of applications such as digital cameras, portable media players, mobile phones, PDAs and other devices.
The royalty-bearing license enables Tohoku Device to use Kodak technology for OLED backlights in a variety of flat panel display applications and includes a cross license to Tohoku Device’s patent portfolio. The agreement also gives Tohoku Device the opportunity to purchase Kodak’s patented OLED materials for use in manufacturing displays. Financial details were not disclosed.
