AU Optronics Corp. and AU Optronics Corporation America announced that the companies have sued Sharp Corporation and Sharp Electronics Corporation for patent infringement.

For more information visit: www.auo.com

Unedited press release follows:

AUO Files Patent Infringement Lawsuits Against Sharp (2011.03.03)

Today AU Optronics Corp. (“AUO” or the “Company”) (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) and AU Optronics Corporation America filed two complaints against Japan’s Sharp Corporation and Sharp Electronics Corporation (together “Sharp”) for patent infringement. The first complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. In this complaint, AUO alleges that Sharp infringes at least the following patents: US Patent Nos. 6,818,967, 7,057,359, 7,125,157, 7,259,526, 7,317,289, and 7,172,331. The second complaint was filed in the United States Central District of California and alleges that Sharp infringes at least US Patents Nos. 7,771,098, 7,723,728 and 7,101,073.

The alleged infringing products cover a variety of Sharp’s liquid crystal display products ranging from small to large size, including Sharp’s Quattron series LCD TVs which AUO believes to infringe at least US Patent No. 7,771,098, a multi-primary color display solution invented by the AUO Technology Center. AUO is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and permanent injunction against the infringing products, among other reliefs.

As one of the leading companies in the design, research and development, and manufacturing of TFT-LCDs, AUO is a technology innovator with a strong emphasis on R&D for display technologies. Established in 2002 and located in Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park, AUO Technology Center is Taiwan’s largest R&D facility for optoelectronics, and currently houses more than 2,000 dedicated R&D engineers. As of the end of 2010, AUO owns over 7,500 patents worldwide, with nearly 6,000 additional patent applications pending, which places it number 1 among Taiwan’s flat panel industry.