Audiovox (Hauppauge, N.Y.) said the acquisition includes roughly 115 employees in the U.S., Canada, China (including Hong Kong) and Malaysia. The company said it anticipates that the transaction will close in early 2007.

In addition to the RCA brand name, the acquisition includes other brand names including Jensen, Acoustic Research, Recoton, Spikemaster, Ambico and others in a range of accessories that function with audio, video or consumer electronics products, Thomson. (Paris) said. Audiovox already owns Jensen, Advent, Acoustic Research and Road Gear brands for electronics products as part of prior acquisitions, the company said.

A spokesman for Audiovox could not comment on the specific terms related to the additional compensation over a five-year period. However, he said, Audiovox has previously structured deals to include additional payouts for achieving certain sales milestones. "The better we do, the better everyone does," he said.

Thomson said the sale of the CE Accessories business is in line with the company's previously announced plans to dispose of its audio/video and accessories business worldwide.

"The well-respected RCA name further strengthens our brand portfolio in consumer electronics accessories and gives us greater flexibility at the distribution level," said Patrick Lavelle, president and CEO of Audiovox, in a statement.

Thomson acquired the legendary RCA brand from General Electric in 1988. RCA, formed in 1919 as Radio Corp. of America, was an early pioneer in television technology and a leading brand in the U.S. for decades.