CSIRO has won a $220 million settlement over the use of its patented wi-fi technology currently in use by over 3 billion electronic devices worldwide.

 

The CSIRO invented wi-fi technology in the 1990’s and has since experienced a boom in use, with mobile phones, personal computers, video games and mobile phones all making use of the technology.

 

Science and Innovation Minister Chris Evans welcomed the patent victory, saying its time Australian scientists were recognised for their work.

 

"It was important that Australia protect its intellectual property, and that those major companies who are selling billions of devices pay for the technology that they were using,” Senator Evans said.

 

The latest agreement will see the CSIRO flushed with $430 million in revenue from the technology.

 

CSIRO’s Nigel Poole said that the organisation will continue to benefit from the exponential growth in the use of the technology.

 

"The wireless LAN technology, commonly known as wi-fi, is in over three billion devices worldwide – and it will grow to five billion products by 2013 when the patents expire,” Mr Poole told the ABC.

 

"We guess that means most households in the developed world have more than five wi-fi consumer devices connecting themselves reliably to the internet and to each other without wires."

 

CSIRO now has licence agreements with 23 companies worldwide, including Dell, Microsoft, Intel and Toshiba.

 

The patent runs out next year.