BTG, Corning to License Optics Patents

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., April 14 -- BTG, a London-based company that acquires patent rights to new technologies and licenses them to manufacturers, and Corning Inc. announced today that they have signed a representation agreement enabling BTG to seek licensees on behalf of Corning for a portfolio of Corning patents related to a widely used glass molding process.

The molded glass process, developed by Corning in the mid 1980s, is commonly used to make aspheric glass lenses for digital cameras, optical disc storage devices, laser printers and optical communications systems. The companies said molded glass aspheric lenses are superior to multi-element lenses for such devices because they are diffraction limited and cost effective and, when compared with plastic lenses, they operate over a broader temperature and humidity range without degradation of performance.

The technology has applications in lens and illumination systems, telecommunications, copiers, scanners, printers, medical devices, automotive, eyewear, PCs and DVDs.

"Several companies, including Fuji, Tamron, NSG and others, have already taken licenses, and this agreement demonstrates our commitment to actively license our intellectual property portfolio," said Mark Newhouse, Corning vice president, strategic growth.

For more information, visit: www.btgplc.com