Deep Video secures a US licensing agreement

By PETER GRIFFIN

3D screen developer Deep Video Imaging has sealed a licensing agreement that is expected to help it enter the avionics and defence markets.

The Hamilton company has signed an agreement to license its patented AcutalDepth display technology to American Panel Corporation, which makes liquid crystal displays for planes, ships and ground vehicles.

Hamish Macleod, Deep Video's vice-president of worldwide sales, said "nominal" revenues would flow from the agreement until the company secured contracts with its own customers, which include manufacturing giants Honeywell and General Dynamics.

Once supply agreements were reached the company would receive a royalty on each screen sold.

MacLeod said gaining American Panel as a partner was important because the company had Federal Aviation Authority approval to make screens for the aviation industry.

"If we were to try to become FAA-approved, it would take us a long time and an awful lot of money."

Reports last month that Deep Video was in advanced negotiations to supply its screen technology to the United States military led to a sharp jump in the share price of listed venture capitalist IT Capital, which holds a 43 per cent stake in the company.

Its other major shareholder, Stephen Tindall, said at the time that he would consider divesting his interest in the company if the uses of its technology moved beyond navigation and mapping to weaponry.

MacLeod said the licensing agreement endorsed the company's decision not to be a manufacturer, but to partner with major manufacturers in royalty agreements.

"We just want to be the custodian of the intellectual property and a technology house that keeps enhancing the technology."