TRW Receives First European Patent For Odyssey Worldwide Satellite Phone System

Business Wire, Feb 6, 1997

REDONDO BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 6, 1997--TRW Inc.'s drive to gain broad international patent protection for its Odyssey(TM) satellite-based global cellular phone system notched a major milestone this month with the European Patent Office's issuance of its first patent for the Odyssey system design.

The patent will be effective in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy through the year 2012.

"This patent extends to key European countries the protection Odyssey already enjoys under patents in the United States and elsewhere," said Bruce Gerding, TRW vice president and managing director of the company's Odyssey Services Organization. "It represents TRW's determination as an international leader in high technology to protect our intellectual property around the world."

Gerding noted that TRW continues to prosecute patent applications to protect the Odyssey system in many countries. In the past two years, TRW has received patents for Odyssey in the United States and Taiwan and been issued utility models in Germany, which afford patent-like protection there.

Odyssey, which plans to begin offering service in the year 2001, will make it possible for callers equipped with a pocket-sized wireless phone to reach any telephone on Earth from anywhere in the globe.

The claims of the European patent (No. EP 0 575 678 B1) cover a satellite-based cellular telecommunications system having satellites in a medium-earth orbit. The system connects a mobile cellular phone with another phone through one of the satellites and a gateway station, and assigns a call originating from within a service region to one of the satellites in accordance with predetermined criteria. TRW filed for the patent in September 1992.

TRW and Teleglobe Inc., of Canada, are founding shareholders in Odyssey Telecommunications International Inc., which will develop the satellite-based system and provide service worldwide. TRW will build the system, which will consist of 12 satellites in medium-earth orbit and seven earth stations linked by a wide-area network.

Odyssey mobile phones will be available with dual-mode capability, allowing Odyssey subscribers to place calls over existing cellular networks whenever possible.

TRW Inc. is an international company, listed on the New York, London and Frankfurt stock exchanges, with 1996 sales of US$9.86 billion. With headquarters in Cleveland, the company provides advanced technology products and services to the automotive, space and defense, and information markets worldwide.

Teleglobe Inc., based in Montreal, with 1995 revenues of Cdn$1.5 billion, is a public company listed on the Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver stock exchanges. Teleglobe is one of the largest North American intercontinental telecommunications companies and provides services to more than 230 countries and territories through a network of satellites and coaxial and fiber optic submarine cables.

CONTACT: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach

Jack Prichett, 310/812-5227

310/812-8232 (fax)

e-mail: jack.prichett@trw.com