Stratos Lightwave Settles Lawsuit With Tyco Electronics

Stratos Lightwave [STLW] has entered into a licensing agreement with Tyco Electronics and both companies have settled the lawsuit brought by Stratos by cross-licensing technology of each company generally related to optical components. Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

In addition to Tyco, Stratos also formed licensing agreements with IBM, Cielo Communications, Fujikura, Molex and Vixel.

As part of the agreement, Tyco has taken a license from Stratos for its removable optoelectronic module products, including GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter) and SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) transceivers, guide rails and cage receptacles and other pluggable transceiver modules and receptacles.

The settlement provides Tyco a license to sell GBIC Guide Rails under the Stratos patents, however, this agreement does not extend to third parties that use non-licensed removable transceiver modules with licensed receptacles or non-licensed receptacles with licensed removable transceiver modules.

As part of the agreement, Stratos Lightwave has taken a license from Tyco Electronics for its Quantum QX fiber optic assemblies and has entered into a technology transfer agreement relating to Tyco Electronics Lightray MPX fiber optic array connectivity products in the form of multi-fiber array connectors, adapters, backplane and daughtercard housings and related products.

Stratos is a plaintiff in three lawsuits pending against Agilent Technologies, Finisar, Hewlett-Packard, Infineon Technologies, and Optical Communications Products involving related intellectual property rights, including certain technical features of removable optoelectronic transceiver modules.

Stratos Lightwave, Inc. is a subsidiary of Methode Electronics [METHA].

Edited by Evan Bass
Managing Editor, Fiber Optics Online