News

Sony and 3M Settle Suit over Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Intellectual Property

July 31, 2007 by Jeff Shepard

Sony Corp. and 3M Company have reached a global settlement regarding a lithium ion battery cathode patent dispute filed in March 2007 against Sony and other companies in the Minnesota District Court and United States International Trade Commission. Under the settlement, Sony Corp. and Sony Electronics Inc. are now licensed sources of batteries containing 3M’s cathode technology. The specific terms of the settlement are confidential.

3M believes its cathode materials containing nickel, manganese and cobalt are an important technology for current and next generation lithium ion batteries. The company states that it stands ready to supply cathode materials to the industry. Over the past decade, the company states that it has invested significant resources in design, development and commercialization of advanced material technologies for lithium ion battery applications.