NVIDIA® Corporation and Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation, today announced the creation of a broad strategic alliance, which includes three key elements: (1) NVIDIA licensed its Shader Technology to E&S; (2) the companies agreed to a broad cross-license of technology; and (3) NVIDIA acquired key 3D graphics patents from E&S. The NVIDIA Shader Technology is a collection of patented 3D technologies enabling the creation of interactive, cinematic-quality realism through the use of highly programmable processing elements. Several basic components of the NVIDIA Shader Technology, particularly the first-generation programmable vertex and pixel shader, were earlier licensed to Microsoft for incorporation in the DirectX®8 Application Programming Interface (API) and established as an industry standard.

“Founded in 1968, E&S is the recognized pioneer of real-time 3D graphics technology. Many important milestones and breakthroughs can be traced directly to technologies created at E&S over the past 30 years. Many of these fundamental computer graphics techniques are pervasively used in graphics processors made for game consoles, PCs, and workstations,” stated Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO at NVIDIA. “The acquisition of these key E&S graphics patents will dramatically enhance our already formidable patent portfolio.”