Rambus buys LED technologies for $26 million

Rambus has acquired technology and patents related to LCDs (liquid crystal displays) and optoelectronics from Global Lighting Technologies for US$26 million, Rambus said on Monday.

Rambus will acquire close to 84 patents from GLT. In addition, 12 GLT employees will join Rambus to work in a new Lighting Technology Division at the company. It will be led by GLT co-founder Jeff Parker, who is among those joining Rambus.

Rambus said the patents and technologies will help expand its offerings around LCDs and consumer electronics. They include technologies in the area of light-emitting diode (LED) backlighting for LCDs, which Rambus said is increasingly being used for mobile phones, PCs and HDTVs.

LED backlighting can be used to build ultra-thin LCD screens with better image quality, which could improve the display of games, movies and other content, Rambus said.

GLT will continue to develop and manufacture display backlighting products, and become a Rambus licensee.

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