Three Nanodot readers wrote with news that "NEC Corp. asserted Wednesday (March 3) that it owns essential patents on carbon nanotubes and, as a result, all companies seeking to make or sell carbon nanotube materials must obtain licenses from NEC." EE Times article

brianelegant writes "NEC Corp. today claimed a monopoly of sorts, saying that it owns patents on carbon nanotubes that must be licensed by any company wishing to pursue the graphite material. With the claims, NEC announced that Sumitomo Corp. and it have inked an agreement, granting Sumitomo a non-exclusive license under basic Japanese patents owned by NEC that cover carbon nanotube. 'NEC's carbon nanotube patents under which Sumitomo has acquired a license from NEC are basic patents and, therefore, it is necessary to acquire a license from NEC in order to gain the rights to manufacture, or sell etc. carbon nanotubes,' said Botaro Hirosaki, associate senior VP of NEC's intellectual asset operations unit, in a statement. NEC Claims License to Carbon Nanotube"

Vik Olliver writes "According to this article in EETimes, NEC are claiming patent rights to all carbon nanotube production. Nothing stifles innovation and progress like a patent…"

JohnFaith writes "NEC claims that it holds fundamental CNT patents and is offering licenses according to this EETimes article."

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