Silicon Graphics gets equity investment in Real 3D

Mountain View, 06 October 98 Real 3D and Silicon Graphics formed a strategic relationship which includes a minority equity investment in Real 3D by SGI. Details of the equity investment were not disclosed. Lockheed Martin remains the majority owner of Real 3D while Intel and Silicon Graphics hold minority interests. Real 3D and SGI will establish cooperative marketing, technology and business development arrangements. In a separate agreement, Real 3D and Silicon Graphics have agreed to terminate all litigation between the two companies and have entered into a royalty-free computer graphics patent cross-license.

The investment supports one of SGI's core business objectives, which is to participate in the broader 3D graphics market. Real 3D will be a preferred supplier of graphics technology for certain future SGl computing products, the two companies will collaborate on future software technologies and initiatives, and SGI will assist in the marketing of Real 3D's content creation hardware.

Real 3D now has technology licensing and development agreements with Intel, Sega, Lockheed Martin and Silicon Graphics, and will aggressively pursue other licensing deals as well. Real 3D's product line includes the StarFighter graphics boards, PRO-1000 high-end image generators, and a 3-D laser scanning system called RealScan 3D. The company licenses its 3-D graphics technology on a royalty-bearing basis to strategic technology partners.

Headquartered in Orlando, Real 3D is majority-owned by Lockheed Martin, with Intel and Silicon Graphics holding minority interests. The company maintains an agreement with Sega Enterprises for the development of arcade graphics chips and boards in addition to co-development work with Intel on PC graphics products, including the Intel740 graphics accelerator.

Sandra Wermer