The French group thus becomes sole owner of the company, which has installed equipment and digital systems in around 40 multiplex cinemas worldwide, it added without disclosing fiancial details.

Thomson's Technicolor unit owned 80 percent of the TDC venture when it was formed in 2000, with Qualcomm holding the rest.

As part of the deal, Technicolor will have exclusive rights to produce and sell the Theatre Management System designed by Qualcomm, while Qualcomm will continue to develop and sell its own digital cinema products and technologies.

"By restructuring the joint venture, we expand customer choice while at the same time restoring Technicolor's legacy to serve multiple architectures and enhancing Qualcomm's ability to market their advanced digital cinema technologies," TDC chairman Dave Elliott said in a statement.

SPACE.WIRE