MPEG LA starts offering Blu-ray 3D video patent licenses
updated 05:55 pm EST, Wed February 22, 2012
Pooled license simplifies technology dispersal
MPEG LA, which holds patent rights for several technologies including components of MPEG-2, MPEG-4, ATSC, and AVC, is now offering a consolidated license for patents pertaining to MVC (Multiview Video Coding). MVC is the standard for encoding and decoding video that is used in 3D-capable hardware, such as Blu-ray disc players and burners, video cameras, and PCs.
The portfolio license created by MPEG LA encompasses the patents of 15 individual companies. Included are Dolby, Philips, HP, NTT DoCoMo, Sony, Fraunhofer, and Columbia University. The license costs 10 cents per unit sold that uses the technology either for encoding, decoding, or both.
MPEG LA is a an intellectual property pooler. It brings together multiple patents applicable to a standard or technology and then creates a single license covering the complete portfolio. In this way, a company wanting to use the technology in their products only has to deal with a single agency instead of dozens.
MVC is the 3D video codec that has been accepted as an ISO standard. It is an adjunct to the H.264/AVC standard that allows devices to generate stereoscopic and multi-view 3D video streams.
