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Other Investments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Text Block [Abstract]  
Other Investments

7. Other Investments

The Company’s gross investment in non-voting convertible preferred stock of Great Wall Semiconductor Corporation (“GWS”) totaled $5,000,000 as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, giving the Company an approximately 27% ownership interest in GWS. GWS and its subsidiary design and sell semiconductors, conduct research and development activities, develop and license patents, and litigate against those who infringe upon its patented technologies. A director of the Company is the founder, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), as well as the majority voting shareholder, of GWS. The Company and GWS are parties to an intellectual property cross-licensing agreement, a license agreement and two supply agreements under which the Company purchases certain components from GWS. Purchases from GWS totaled approximately $1,698,000 and $831,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2014, and 2013, respectively. The Company owed GWS approximately $17,000 and $152,000 as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

The Company accounts for its investment in GWS under the equity method of accounting. The Company has determined that, while GWS is a variable interest entity, the Company is not the primary beneficiary. The key factors in the Company’s assessment were that the CEO of GWS has: (i) the power to direct the activities of GWS that most significantly impact its economic performance, and (ii) an obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from GWS, respectively, that could potentially be significant to GWS.

The balance in the Company’s net investment in GWS was zero as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013.