


By May, the two companies had settled all legal proceedings with each other. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in March of the following year. District Court in Los Angeles denied the request for a preliminary injunction, which Yamaha promptly appealed. In March 1995, the company was served with a patent infringement claim by Yamaha Corporation, in which the latter claimed the company's ESFM products infringed upon patents held by Yamaha.
#VIDEODRIVE DRIVERS#
The company additionally developed its own approach to FM synthesis that improves the sound of game music, added three-dimensional audio spatialization to enrich the sound field, and has developed an array of software-from device drivers to applications-that enable its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers to offer rich sound functionality in their products.
#VIDEODRIVE PC#
Since that time, the company has continued to lead the way in PC audio technology, enhancing sound quality and introducing superior low-power sound chips for notebook PCs. In 1994 the company bounced back from its low revenue and income figures and became known as a pioneer in the industry of audio for personal computers when it introduced the first single-chip audio device under its product line AudioDrive, integrating all the elements for sound on the PC and eliminating the need for separate and expensive devices, such as add-in sound cards, for each function. The following year, the company posted sales and net income of $15.2 million and $283,000, respectively. October of that year saw Fred Chan appointed chairman of the board. In 1992, the company realized net revenues of $23.7 million and net income of $4.8 million. Leading the Way in PC Audio Technology, the 1990s Major customers have included PC manufacturers such as AST, AT&T, Acer, BTC, Compaq, Dell, Digital Equipment Corporation, Eastbase, ECS, FIC, Fujitsu, Gateway 2000, GVC, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, IBM, ICL, Inventec, JK Micro, Labway, Matsushita, Mitac, NEC, Quanta, Samsung, Seiko-Epson, Sony, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, Trigem, Universe Electron Corporation, Western Publishing, and Xirlink. Headquartered in Fremont, California, the company lists among its principal competitors C-Cube, Cirrus Logic, Creative Technology, Hyundai, LSI Logic, Lucent, Oak Technology, OPTi, Rockwell, SGS Thompson, Texas Instruments, Winbond, and Yamaha. Chan was founder and former president and CEO of AC Design Inc., a VLSI chip design center providing CAD, engineering, and design services, and cofounder, president, and CEO of CADCAM Technology Inc., a company in the business of CAE systems development.

Chan was hired in November 1985 and elected a director in January 1986. The company was incorporated in California in 1984. The company is a world leader in single-chip audio solutions technology for sale to multimedia desktop and notebook computer manufacturers, a major supplier of digital video chips, and an emerging supplier of high-speed communications chipsets. manufactures highly integrated mixed signal semiconductor multimedia solutions, including software, for the personal computer and consumer electronics markets worldwide. With its base of audio technology and market knowledge, ESS continues to add to the richness and intensity that sound adds to the multimedia experience.ĮSS Technology, Inc. (ESS) is playing a major role in this transition by providing a range of tightly integrated, high-performance audio solutions. The next stage of digital audio evolution has already begun with advanced music synthesis, multi-stream processing and realistic three-dimensional sound reproduction. Progress in audio fidelity has been rapid, from the simple error beep of the earliest personal computers to the 16-bit, CD-quality stereo sound input and output of today's multimedia machines. Sound is one of the most critical elements of the multimedia experience. SICs: 3661 Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus 3672 Printed Circuit Boards 3674 Semiconductors & Related Devices 3679 Electronic Components, Not Elsewhere Classified
