Battery Protection Patent Granted to O2Micro

April 7, 2010. O2Micro® International Limited (NASDAQ®: OIIM) was issued 10 claims under United States patent number 7,646,169 for its Trickle Discharge for Battery Pack Protection invention.

This invention employs a controlled trickle discharge to protect the battery pack from a large current fault condition, like a short circuit. This invention enables continuous monitoring and graceful recovery of the fault without using conventional methods that may damage the battery pack or cause it to permanently open. Any electronic device with a rechargeable battery, such as notebook computers, PDAs, cell phones, power tools, benefit from this circuitry and method.

William Kao, vice president, O2Micro, commented "This patented architecture and method enables a highly reliable, cost effective battery pack design using O2Micro's integrated, single chip battery gauge controllers."


About O2Micro

Founded in April 1995, O2Micro develops and markets innovative power management and security components for the Computer, Consumer, Industrial, and Communications markets. Products include Intelligent Lighting, Battery Management, Power Management, and SmartCardBus® products.

O2Micro International maintains an extensive portfolio of intellectual property with 13,404 patent claims granted, and over 15,000 more pending. The company maintains offices worldwide. Additional company and product information can be found on the company website at www.o2micro.com.

O2Micro, the O2Micro logo, SmartCardBus, and combinations thereof are registered trademarks of O2Micro. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Statements made in this release that are not historical, including statements regarding O2Micro's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as reduced demand for products of electronic equipment manufacturers which include O2Micro's products due to adverse economic conditions in general or specifically affecting O2Micro's markets, technical difficulties and delays in the developments process, and errors in the products. You are also referred to the Form F-1 in connection with the company's initial public offering in August 2000, Form F-3 in connection with the company's public offering in November 2001, and the annual reports on Form 20-F, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information:
Gary E. Abbott
Director of Investor Relations, O2Micro
Phone: 408.987.5920. x8888
Email: gary.abbott@o2micro.com


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