Motorola Unit to License Patents on Chips

Motorola Inc., the largest maker of communications chips, formed a unit to license patents for a method of making cheaper semiconductors and said new President Edward Breen will oversee the effort. The Austin, Texas-based business will be called Thoughtbeam Inc. Padmasree Warrior, former chief technology officer for the semiconductor division, will be general manager, reporting to Breen. The division is separate from other units and has about 10 employees, Warrior said.

Motorola said earlier this year that its scientists invented a method of fusing two widely used semiconductor materials that may reduce the cost of making mobile phones and other gear. The chips won’t be in production until 2003.