Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

NEC Demands License Fees For Carbon Nanotubes

Posted by timothy on from the candlestick-makers-watch-out dept.

apirkle writes "As reported in this article on EEtimes.com, NEC has claimed today that they own 'essential patents' on carbon nanotubes, and that all companies who make or sell nanotubes must purchase a license. NEC has a press release stating that they have already sold a license."

1 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. NEC does not have US patent on nanotubes by Rene_Daley · · Score: 5, Informative
    As far as I can tell, NEC does not have a patent in the US on nanotubes themselves. NEC does have 5 US patents involving nanotubes:
    1 6,331,690 Process for producing single-wall carbon nanotubes uniform in diameter and laser ablation apparatus used therein
    2 6,157,043 Solenoid comprising a compound nanotube and magnetic generating apparatus using the compound nanotube
    3 5,698,175 Process for purifying, uncapping and chemically modifying carbon nanotubes
    4 5,641,466 Method of purifying carbon nanotubes
    5 5,627,140 Enhanced flux pinning in superconductors by embedding carbon nanotubes with BSCCO materials

    None of these patents cover the existence of nanotubes -- but the patents do cover various methods of creating nanotubes. I found 118 US patents which mention carbon nanotubes in the abstract to the patent at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

    There are other patents which concern creation of carbon nanotubes which predate NEC's patents. For example: 5,482,601 Method and device for the production of carbon nanotubes.

    Accordingly, I doubt that NEC has a patent on carbon nanotubes themselves. Instead, it appears that NEC has some patents on methods for manufacturing carbon nanotubes. If these methods are more efficient than other methods, I do not have any problem with NEC selling licenses to use their processes.