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| [March 26, 2004] |
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Digital Radio Mondiale Essential Patent Holders Work to Establish One-Stop-Shop Patent Licensing Program
Audio and Modem Patent Holders Join Forces to Streamline Access to Patent Rights Needed to Deploy Digital Radio Mondiale Products
Via Licensing Corporation, in cooperation with a set of companies holding patents essential to the practice of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard, is pleased to announce significant progress towards a one-stop-shop patent licensing program. The patent portfolio license will consist of patents essential to the audio coding and modulation/demodulation technologies that comprise the DRM system.
Digital Radio Mondiale is the only digital transmission system for shortwave, mediumwave, and longwave with the ability to use existing frequencies across the globe. DRM provides clear, near-FM quality sound that represents a dramatic improvement over analog transmissions and has the additional capacity to integrate data and text. DRM holds the promise of revitalizing broadcasting bands below 30 MHz and achieving widespread use around the world.
As one of the founding members of the DRM Consortium it has been my dream to see this system deployed, and a one-stop-shop patent license is an element that is critical for success, said Pierre Vasseur, Director of Advanced Marketing for Thales Broadcast & Multimedia. The patent holders are aware of the challenges that face the introduction of a broadcast system to a worldwide audience. Their foresight and cooperation in facilitating access to the necessary patent rights will aid the rollout of DRM.
Ramzi Haidamus, Vice President and General Manager of Via Licensing Corporation, explained, The availability of a single patent license granting rights from multiple parties under reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms will benefit any company wishing to deploy DRM products. Standardized pricing creates a level playing field for product developers, allowing manufacturers to forecast costs, and streamlined access to the patents of a set of companies will dramatically reduce the transaction costs compared to multiple independent negotiations.
The companies working with Via Licensing to bring the DRM patent pool license to market include AT&T Corp., Coding Technologies, Dolby Laboratories, France Telecom, Fraunhofer IIS, NEC Corporation, Philips Electronics, Robert Bosch GmbH, Sony Corporation, T-Systems International GmbH, Thales, and VoiceAge Corporation.
The patent licensing fees for DRM are presented on the Via Licensing website at www.vialicensing.com/products/drm/license_fees.html. The group expects to be in a position to start licensing during the third quarter of this year.
About Via Licensing Corporation
Via Licensing Corporation develops and administers patent licensing programs, or patent pools, on behalf of innovative technology companies and for the convenience of licensees. Via Licensing Corporation is a subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, Inc., and benefits from the expertise, infrastructure, and strategic business relationships that Dolby has developed in more than 30 years of licensing into the consumer electronics and personal computing markets. Via Licensing is involved in the development and operation of licensing programs for both mandated and de facto or emerging standards. For more information about Via Licensing Corporation, please visit www.vialicensing.com.
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