Netac Technology
Encyclopedia
Netac Technology Co Ltd is a Shenzen consumer electronics company that claims to have invented the USB flash drive
. It is a Chinese OEM
/ODM
.
In 2006 it became the first Chinese company to initiate an overseas intellectual property infringement lawsuit when it sued PNY Technologies
in the US.
September 2002 saw Netac launching its first products.
Although the company claims to have invented the first USB flash drive in 1999 and submitted a Chinese patent application for the device the same year, the patent was granted and the product launched only in 2002. IBM
had released an eight megabyte USB flash drive in late 2000 which preceded Netac's offering to market by more than a year and a half.
on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
.
in that it holds a number of patents. By 2009, Netac had filed for over 300 patents in the USA, South Korea, Singapore, and the Peoples' Republic of China. Over 200 of those patent applications had been filed by 2005.
Patents held by Netac include:
Companies it has sued include US-based PNY Technologies
, Beijing's Lenovo and Huaqi Information Digital Technology Co Ltd
, Shenzen's Fuguanghui and Xingzhidao, Japan-based Sony
, and Taiwan's Acer and Tai Guen Enterprise Co.
Its 2006 suit against PNY Technologies
was the first time a Chinese company filed patent charges overseas.
with Skyworth
, Shenzhen Coocaa Network Technology Co Ltd provides free high-definition movie and video download services. Netac has developed USB flash drives that, in conjunction with USB port equipped Skyworth televisions, allow video to be played from the drive.
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
. It is a Chinese OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
/ODM
Original Design Manufacturer
An original design manufacturer is a company which designs and manufactures a product which is specified and eventually branded by another firm for sale. Such companies allow the brand firm to produce without having to engage in the organization or running of a factory...
.
In 2006 it became the first Chinese company to initiate an overseas intellectual property infringement lawsuit when it sued PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies, Inc is a manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards...
in the US.
History
Founded on the 29th of April, 1999 by Guoshun Frank Deng and Cheng Xiaohua, the two worked for a year developing their first product, an eight megabyte flash memory drive that Deng christened the U disk.Flash drive
On July 24, 2002 Netac was granted its first patent, for an electronic flash memory external storage method and device. At least 14 companies have since requested invalidation of this patent, as "[the patented device] has been anticipated by the combination of two references, i.e. USB System Architecture and the Handbook of Flash Memory Technology published in 1997 and such combination is obvious to those skilled in the art."September 2002 saw Netac launching its first products.
Although the company claims to have invented the first USB flash drive in 1999 and submitted a Chinese patent application for the device the same year, the patent was granted and the product launched only in 2002. IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
had released an eight megabyte USB flash drive in late 2000 which preceded Netac's offering to market by more than a year and a half.
Recent events
Netac was recently listedInitial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Shenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the People's Republic of China's two stock exchanges, alongside the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It is based in Shenzhen, China...
.
Products
Netac mainly manufactures USB flash drives, but external hard disk drives, MP3 Players, digital photo frames, microcontroller units, and SD cards are also among its product line.Patents
Netac is unique among Chinese OEMsOriginal Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
in that it holds a number of patents. By 2009, Netac had filed for over 300 patents in the USA, South Korea, Singapore, and the Peoples' Republic of China. Over 200 of those patent applications had been filed by 2005.
Patents held by Netac include:
- Chinese Patent No. ZL99117225.6 for an electronic flash memory external storage method and device.
- US Patent No. 6,829,672, for an electronic flash memory external storage method and device.
- Chinese Patent No. ZL02114797.3 for a USB Wireless Modem
- South Korean Patent No. 583626, for a multifunction semiconductor storage device and method for booting-up computer host
- Singaporean Patent No. SG119038, for an automatically executing method using semiconductor storage devices
Lawsuits
Intellectual-property infringement is widespread in China, and Netac has taken companies both in and outside of this nation to court in order to protect the monopoly its patents grant.Companies it has sued include US-based PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies, Inc is a manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards...
, Beijing's Lenovo and Huaqi Information Digital Technology Co Ltd
Aigo
aigo is the trade name of Chinese consumer electronics company Beijing Huaqi Information Digital Technology Co Ltd. aigo should not be capitalized, much like "iPod".-History:...
, Shenzen's Fuguanghui and Xingzhidao, Japan-based Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, and Taiwan's Acer and Tai Guen Enterprise Co.
Its 2006 suit against PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies
PNY Technologies, Inc is a manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards...
was the first time a Chinese company filed patent charges overseas.
Shenzhen Coocaa Network Technology Co Ltd
A joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with Skyworth
Skyworth
Skyworth , viz. Hong Kong Skyworth Digital Holdings Co Ltd is a Chinese holding company whose subsidiaries manufacture and sell consumer electronics and upstream components Skyworth (创维), viz. Hong Kong Skyworth Digital Holdings Co Ltd is a Chinese holding company whose subsidiaries manufacture...
, Shenzhen Coocaa Network Technology Co Ltd provides free high-definition movie and video download services. Netac has developed USB flash drives that, in conjunction with USB port equipped Skyworth televisions, allow video to be played from the drive.