Royal Philips Electronics N.V.とソニー株式会社の米国子会社であるSony Corporation of Americaは、米国時間11月13日に、InterTrust Technologies Corporationを買収することで合意した旨を発表しました。
以下に、英文発表文と日本語要約を記載いたします。

英文発表文

PHILIPS AND SONY LEAD ACQUISITION OF INTERTRUST

AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, November 13, 2002 --Fidelio Acquisition Company, LLC, a company formed by Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE),
Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) and certain other investors, has executed a definitive agreement to acquire InterTrust Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ITRU). As a result of the transaction, Fidelio will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of InterTrust for approximately $453 million on a fully diluted basis or $4.25 per share. The most important objective of the transaction is to enable secure distribution of digital content by providing wider access to InterTrust's key Digital Rights Management (DRM) intellectual property on a fair and reasonable basis.

InterTrust is a leading holder of intellectual property in DRM. The company holds 26 U.S. patents and has approximately 85 patent applications pending worldwide. InterTrust's patent portfolio covers software and hardware technologies that can be implemented in a broad range of products that use DRM, including digital media platforms, web services and enterprise infrastructure.

InterTrust's Board of Directors has unanimously approved the acquisition and has determined that the transaction is advisable and in the best interest of its shareholders. All InterTrust board members owning shares including Victor Shear, Founder and Chairman of the board of directors, have agreed to tender all their shares of InterTrust common stock, representing approximately 20% of the outstanding common stock, in favor of the transaction. The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, is expected to close in early 2003.

"Throughout Sony on a global scale, we operate with a keen awareness that the future growth of the consumer electronics, computer and entertainment industries will be heavily influenced by the ability to transmit digital content in a secure environment," said Nobuyuki Idei, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Corporation. "This acquisition will significantly accelerate the ability to ensure secure delivery of digital content. This in turn will enable the development of many exciting new services for consumers and businesses."

"Philips is focused on the right of consumers to fairly access and enjoy digital content," said Gerard Kleisterlee, Philips' President and CEO. "Wider access to InterTrust's DRM Intellectual Property will allow both consumers and content providers to securely access and distribute digital content with their preferred devices. In doing so, barriers to digital content access can be removed to deliver enhanced consumer choice via new services. The deal will lead to a broad platform of DRM IP and new Philips products with integrated DRM technology. DRM is a key element towards a genuine digital revolution, and will be an important driver to reinvigorating the technology sector."
"Sony is committed to creating an environment where digital content can be securely distributed and enjoyed," said Robert Wiesenthal, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Sony Broadband Entertainment, Sony Corporation of America. "Through this transaction InterTrust's important DRM patents will be more widely available on a fair and reasonable basis."
"Philips is convinced that DRM technologies will be tremendously valuable in enabling the secure distribution of digital content, and in turn will facilitate a larger offering of digital content to consumers," said Ruud Peters, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Philips' Intellectual Property & Standards. "Philips will continue to play a leading role in DRM."

About Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America, based in New York City, is the U.S. subsidiary of Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. Sony is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, motion picture, television, computer entertainment, and online businesses make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment Inc., and Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of over $56.9 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002, and it employs 168,000 people worldwide. Sony Corporation of America recorded over $18.5 billion in sales in the U.S. for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 32.3 billion in 2001. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, and one-chip TV products. Its 184,000 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, semiconductors, and medical systems. Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

英文要約

Royal Philips Electronics N.V.とソニー株式会社の米国子会社であるSony Corporation of America、およびその他出資会社による合弁会社「Fidelio Acquisition Company, LLC」は、米国時間11月13日に、InterTrust Technologies Corporationを買収することで同社と合意しました。
これにより、「Fidelio Acquisition Company, LLC」は、InterTrust Technologies Corporationの全株式を約4億5300万ドル（１株当たり4.25ドル）で購入します。
今回の買収は、同社が所有するデジタル著作権管理（DRM：Digital Rights Management）に関する知的財産権を、幅広く、公正かつ合理的に提供することで、著作権が保護されたデジタルコンテンツの利用環境を構築することを目的としています。

InterTrust Technologies Corporation（本社：カリフォルニア州サンタクララ）は、DRMに関する優れた知的財産権を多数保有（26の米国特許、他に85特許を世界中で申請中）する企業です。
これらの特許は、ネットワークにおける広範囲の製品やサービス、アプリケーションソフトウエアなどに使用され、デジタルメディアのプラットホームやウェブサービスなどにおけるデジタル著作権管理を可能にしています。

InterTrust Technologies Corporationの取締役会は、今回の「Fidelio Acquisition Company,LLC」による提案を満場一致で承認、同社株式を保有する株主に対して、その売却を推奨することも決定しました。また、同社取締役会議長Victor Shear氏を含む同社株式を所有する全取締役が、各々が所有する同社株式（全株式の約20%）を売却することも合意しています。
なお、今回の買収に関する法的手続きは、2003年早期には終了する予定です。

出井伸之のコメント（ソニー株式会社 会長兼CEO）
「ソニーグループは、コンスーマーエレクトロニクス業界・コンピュータ業界・エンターテインメント業界の将来の成長には、セキュアな環境におけるデジタルコンテンツ配信ビジネスの成否が大きな影響を及ぼすであろうとの認識に立って、グローバルに経営を行っています。
今回の買収は、デジタルコンテンツのセキュアな配信がより確実に、より迅速に実現されることを促すものです。これによって、魅力的な新しいサービスが次々に開発され、消費者に新たな楽しみをもたらすとともに、企業にさらなるビジネス機会を提供することになるものと期待しております。」