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AutoCell Extends Enterprise Wireless Leadership Filing More Than 70 Patents; Company Also Announces Close of Follow-on Investment Including All Investors in Its Previous Financing Round

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 09:00 CDT

AutoCell (www.autocell.com), the innovation leader in distributed RF control to enable simultaneous data and voice communications for enterprise wireless networks, today recognized an intellectual property milestone--announcing it has filed more than seventy (70) applications for patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Among AutoCell's patent applications include submissions for innovations including:

-- Channel Selection, Load Balancing and Power Control

-- Wireless Mobility, Fast Roaming

-- Secure Wireless Key Distribution and Automatic Key Generation

In addition to its 70+ patents pending, the AutoCell announced that the USPTO has issued a "notice of allowance" for the Company's patent application for the AutoCell VIEW(TM) system (providing real-time, graphical display of the operational state of a wireless network deployed in a physical environment).

"Our IP portfolio includes a broad range of dynamic, distributed RF control technologies that fulfill key performance, reliability and scalability requirements of network equipment vendors," said Eric Janszen, president and CEO of AutoCell. "Networking OEMs are integrating AutoCell technologies in order to deliver complete systems for enterprises deploying large-scale, homogeneous or heterogeneous wireless networks running data and voice simultaneously," said Janszen.

Today's patent news coincides with the Company's announcement that it has received follow-on venture funding from all investors who participated in the Company's Series C round, announced in September 2004. These strategic investors include Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) through its venture capital arm, Motorola Ventures; Siemens Venture Capital, a subsidiary of Siemens AG; and Thomas Weisel Venture Partners. Terms of the funding agreement were not disclosed. AutoCell will use the financing to further expand its "IP-to-market" engineering and sales efforts in the United States, Asia-Pacific & Europe.

"We are excited about our continued strategic investment and partnership with AutoCell," said Matthew I. Growney, managing director of Motorola Ventures. "As more and more wireless networks are deployed (in large enterprises, small business, public venues, and private residences), AutoCell's RF control offers essential value for data and voice communications. With its strong portfolio of wireless technology, we believe AutoCell complements many of Motorola's own products, and will continue to build on its position of leadership--building market-driven solutions for those who architect, deploy and use wireless LANs."

"Siemens is pleased to make this strategic investment in AutoCell, the clear leader in RF control solutions for wireless networks," said Louis Rajczi, vice president & investment partner, Siemens Venture Capital. "Siemens looks forward to continue to work closely with AutoCell to integrate its offerings with Siemens' own products, channels, markets; as well as those of our partners, and associated portfolio companies."

"AutoCell's strong intellectual property and growing customer adoption sets it apart in today's competitive and fast-paced Wi-Fi marketplace," said Andy Sessions, general partner of Thomas Weisel Venture Partners. "We see a bright future for AutoCell, as its solutions address key challenges for large scale voice/data networks in enterprises."

About Motorola Ventures

Motorola Ventures (MV) is the global, strategic venture capital investment arm of Motorola, Inc. MV actively invests at all stages in developing companies of strategic value to Motorola in order to accelerate access to new technologies, new markets and new talent. For more information: www.motorola.com/ventures .

About Motorola

Motorola is a Fortune 100 global communications leader that provides seamless mobility products and solutions across broadband, embedded systems and wireless networks. In your home, auto, workplace and all spaces in between, seamless mobility means you can reach the people, things and information you need, anywhere, anytime. Seamless mobility harnesses the power of technology convergence and enables smarter, faster, cost-effective and flexible communication. Motorola had sales of US $31.3 billion in 2004. For more information: www.motorola.com .

About Siemens Venture Capital

Siemens Venture Capital (SVC) is the $600 million corporate venture organization for Siemens AG, (NYSE:SI) one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $91.5 billion in fiscal 2004. The goal of SVC is to identify and fund investments in emerging and innovative technologies that will enhance the core business scope of Siemens, particularly in Information and Communications, Automation and Control, Medical Solutions, Automotive Technology & Transportation Systems, Power, and Lighting. With offices in Munich, San Jose (CA), Boston (MA) and through Siemens Israel, Ltd. in Herzliya near Tel Aviv, SVC has invested in more than 100 start-up companies & 30 venture capital funds, & plays a key role in the global network of innovation. SVC is part of a greater network at Siemens whose mission is to drive technological innovation by supporting start-up companies. In addition to Siemens Venture Capital, also Siemens Acceleration in Communications, Siemens Technology Accelerator, & Siemens Technology-To-Business Center contribute to the innovation strategy of Siemens. Their individual mandates are defined according to financing stages & industry focus. More information: www.siemensventurecapital.com .

About Thomas Weisel Venture Partners

Thomas Weisel Venture Partners (TWVP) is an early stage venture capital firm that invests in emerging information technology companies. As a partner with a long-term perspective, TWVP plays an active role in helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses. TWVP portfolio companies benefit from the knowledge, energy & resources of the TWVP team and from TWVP's commitment to working with management to build industry-leading companies. TWVP was founded in 2000 in partnership with Thomas Weisel Partners, a San Francisco-based merchant bank, and is located in Palo Alto, California.

For more information, visit www.twvp.com.

About AutoCell

AutoCell Laboratories, Inc. (founded as Propagate Networks) develops innovative solutions providing RF control to ensure scalability & robust wireless performance of data + voice communications over enterprise wireless networks. Companies worldwide including Accton, Atheros, Chantry Networks, Extreme Networks, NETGEAR, Inc., & Siemens embed AutoCell software into their products to address the unmet need for automatic RF control and optimization. AutoCell's partners comprise ODMs, OEMs, carriers/telcos, & voice manufacturers--whose wireless products address the needs of the enterprise, SME, and SOHO markets. AutoCell Laboratories counts more than 70 patent applications pending, and works closely with standards groups (IEEE, IETF, Wi-Fi Alliance) to propagate RF interference countermeasures to enable real-time wireless applications. A global company headquartered in Massachusetts, USA; AutoCell has offices in China and the U.S. and is privately funded. www.autocell.com

AutoCell VIEW and Propagate Networks are trademarks and AutoCell is a registered trademark of AutoCell Laboratories, Inc... All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Source: Business Wire

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