Media

(DENVER, CO, US – 8 April 2010) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced a market-based initiative for a diagnostic genetics patent licensing facility that addresses the market’s need for nonexclusive access to patents for diagnostic genetics tests leading to personalized medical solutions that save lives and reduce healthcare costs.

“Diagnostic genetics testing holds great promise as a driver of precision therapy, but patent thickets and restrictive licensing arrangements threaten their delivery,” said MPEG LA President and CEO Larry Horn. “The recent case of Association for Molecular Pathology vs. USPTO, Myriad Genetics and University of Utah Research Foundation (US District Court for the Southern District of New York) suggests the need for a solution that balances social cost and open access with innovation incentive. Applying its leading mass market patent licensing expertise in service to the healthcare market, MPEG LA is prepared to deliver it. We welcome all owners of relevant patents to join those who have expressed their support for this effort.”

By aggregating patent rights for existing and emerging tests that may lead to personalized treatment (e.g., hereditary hearing loss in infants, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease, Lynch syndrome) and licensing them nonexclusively for diagnostic use, MPEG LA’s diagnostic genetics patent licensing facility, or “supermarket,” will assist laboratories, testing companies and researchers in obtaining rights they need to design comprehensive diagnostic genetics tests that the market wants, thereby making these tests widely available through multiple channels at affordable prices.

In the current marketplace, many patent owners restrict access to their intellectual property in order to protect and promote their own tests, and others do not make their patents available at all because the costs of licensing them in isolation from related patents are prohibitive. By providing the public with wide access to tests that rely on the availability of these patent rights, MPEG LA’s licensing supermarket will afford patent owners – including those who currently restrict access or refrain from licensing – a new and financially attractive, low risk opportunity to make diagnostic patent rights available to a wider market through broader, more inclusive tests. As such, the MPEG LA supermarket intersects cost effectiveness with effective treatment, alleviating the social costs of current gene patenting and licensing practices while preserving the investment incentives that enable developers to bring new genetic tests to market.

(DENVER, CO, US – 29 March 2010) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that an action brought by MPEG LA against Alcatel Lucent, Lucent Technologies Inc. (“Lucent”) and Multimedia Patent Trust in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware was settled last week (http://www.mpegla.com/Lists/MPEG%20LA%20News%20List/Attachments/192/n_07-11-05_pr.pdf).

As part of the settlement, in addition to other consideration, the Multimedia Patent Trust will submit the patents that were diverted to it in conjunction with the 2006 merger between Lucent and Alcatel for a determination of essentiality in accordance with MPEG LA’s normal procedures. If it is determined that one or more of the patents are MPEG-2 Essential Patents or MPEG-2 Systems Essential Patents, the Multimedia Patent Trust will join the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License and/or the MPEG-2 Systems Patent Portfolio License as a Licensor and all such patents will be included.

The resolution of the case is consistent with the relief MPEG LA sought in its complaint.

(DENVER, CO, US – 16 March 2010) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several patent holders in MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License have filed separate patent enforcement actions in Landgericht Düsseldorf, Germany against Aldi Nord GmbH & Co. oHG (“Aldi Nord”) and Aldi Süd GmbH & Co. oHG (“Aldi Süd”), as well as Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG and Lidl Dienstleistung GmbH & Co. KG (“Lidl”), for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

“We expect all retailers that sell MPEG-2 products under their own private brand labels to meet their patent licensing obligations just as other branded product suppliers do, and our MPEG-2 License is available to assist them,” said MPEG LA President and CEO Larry Horn. “In addition, we urge retailers to insist that all branded product suppliers doing business with them also meet their patent licensing obligations as most already do, and our MPEG-2 License is available to assist them as well.”

According to the complaints, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd offer in Germany products such as desktop computers, laptop computers, set-top boxes, DVD players, Blu-ray Disc™ players and digital televisions, some under Aldi Süd’s own Tevion house brand name, that use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without license.

The complaints also allege that Lidl offers in Germany products such as laptop computers, set-top boxes, DVD players and digital televisions, some under Lidl’s own Silvercrest house brand, that use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without license.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and injunctions prohibiting Aldi Nord, Aldi Süd and Lidl from using MPEG-2 patents in their products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 11 February 2010) – The Dusseldorf Appeals Court, Germany (Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf) recently pronounced its decision dismissing all 12 appeals filed by Greek DVD Video disc replicator Digital Press Hellas S.A., formerly known as Odeon Cineplex S.A. The unsuccessful appeals by Digital Press Hellas tried to overturn a series of corresponding previous verdicts issued by a German district court (Landgericht Düsseldorf) which found that Digital Press Hellas infringed MPEG-2 patents owned by CIF Licensing, LLC; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic Corporation; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) (http://www.mpegla.com/Lists/MPEG%20LA%20News%20List/Attachments/203/n_08-10-14_pr.pdf). Those MPEG-2 patents are also included in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA.

As a result of the appeal dismissals, enforcement of the verdicts will require Digital Press Hellas to cease its distribution of DVD Video discs in Germany and to pay damages to the patent owners for past DVD Video disc distribution in Germany.

(DENVER, CO, US – 2 February 2010) – MPEG LA announced today that its AVC Patent Portfolio License will continue not to charge royalties for Internet Video that is free to end users (known as Internet Broadcast AVC Video) during the next License term from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015. Products and services other than Internet Broadcast AVC Video continue to be royalty-bearing, and royalties to apply during the next term will be announced before the end of 2010.

MPEG LA's AVC Patent Portfolio License provides access to essential patent rights for the AVC/H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10) digital video coding standard. In addition to Internet Broadcast AVC Video, MPEG LA’s AVC Patent Portfolio License provides coverage for devices that decode and encode AVC video, AVC video sold to end users for a fee on a title or subscription basis and free television video services. AVC video is used in set-top boxes, media player and other personal computer software, mobile devices including telephones and mobile television receivers, Blu-ray DiscTM players and recorders, Blu-ray video optical discs, game machines, personal media player devices and still and video cameras.

For more information about MPEG LA’s AVC License or to request a copy of the License, please visit http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/AVC/Pages/Intro.aspx

(DENVER, CO, US – 26 January 2010) – MPEG LA announced today that Shinco Electronics Group Co., Ltd. (“Shinco Electronics”) entered into MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License during 2009.

“We are pleased to welcome Shinco Electronics as a Licensee to the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License,” said Larry Horn, CEO of MPEG LA. “Shinco Electronics joins many other MPEG LA Licensees in China in further affirmation of MPEG LA’s success in developing relationships with leading suppliers there. In addition to building Licensee relationships, MPEG LA also looks forward to partnering with China’s technology leaders as patent owners in helping them bring their technology innovations to worldwide markets.”

The signing of the MPEG-2 License with Shinco also concludes actions brought by MPEG LA against Mintek Digital (“Mintek”), as well as Mintek’s parent Jiangsu Digital Technology Co., Ltd (“Shinco Digital”) and Shinco Digital’s parent, Shinco Electronics, both located in China.

(DENVER, CO, US – 10 December 2009) – The Supreme Court of the State of New York has denied a motion by Audiovox Electronics Corporation and Audiovox Corporation (“Audiovox”) to reargue and/or renew MPEG LA’s motion for partial Summary Judgment, granting MPEG LA the right to audit Audiovox’s books in accordance with the terms of MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 and 1394 license agreements.

The Court rejected Audiovox’s motion based on the fact that the audit language in the parties’ two license agreements is clear and not limited by their contractual dispute concerning what royalties are owed to MPEG LA.

MPEG LA sued Audiovox for breach of contractual obligations as a Licensee to MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License and 1394 Patent Portfolio License in December 2007 (http://www.mpegla.com/Lists/MPEG%20LA%20News%20List/Attachments/193/n_07-12-20_pr.pdf).

(DENVER, CO, US – 19 November 2009) – MPEG LA announced today that Harvard International plc and the Harvard Group of companies (“Harvard”), previously called Alba plc, have become Licensees to several MPEG LA programs, including the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License.

“Recognizing that the MPEG-2 License which Harvard has entered into does not license Harvard branded products that it obtains from another MPEG-2 licensee, Harvard will pay royalties for its MPEG-2 products offered under Harvard’s brand names,” said Harvard Chairman Bridget Blow.

MPEG LA’s CEO Larry Horn said, “As an important supplier of products such as digital televisions, DVD players and set-top boxes, MPEG LA is pleased to welcome Harvard as a Licensee.”

As a result of Harvard becoming a Licensee and the financial settlement which includes back royalty payments and future considerations, Harvard, MPEG LA and several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA, have agreed to dismiss all litigation claims and counterclaims pending among them, including patent enforcement actions pending in the High Court in London, England as well as in the court of Dusseldorf, Germany, and the German Patent Office. Harvard also entered into MPEG LA’s AVC and MPEG-4 Visual Patent Portfolio Licenses.

(DENVER, CO, US – 29 September 2009) – World leading patent pool licensing administrator MPEG LA, LLC held its first meeting of essential LTE patent owners in September in Tokyo, Japan. At the meeting, 12 patent owners from five countries on three continents discussed the specific structure and terms of a patent pool for licensing patents that are essential to the LTE standards developed by 3GPP. The patent owners represent a broad spectrum of the LTE marketplace, including handset manufacturers, network equipment manufacturers, wireless carriers, chipmakers, and research institutions.

"The wireless industry desires a reasonable LTE patent pool license that includes the essential patents of major industry participants,” said MPEG LA President and CEO Larry Horn. “We were impressed with the desire of LTE essential patent owners to deliver a broad, marketable and innovative license as evidenced by their openness to discuss and reach consensus on fundamental licensing issues.”

LTE Standard

LTE is next-generation wireless technology enabling mobile networks to meet consumer demand to move to higher speed data communications beyond that offered by existing 3G networks. LTE also offers an internet protocol architecture that opens the door to wireless business models and devices not currently offered in traditional telecommunications networks.

(DENVER, CO, US – 15 September 2009) – World leading patent pool licensing administrator MPEG LA, LLC, and Japanese patent pool administrator ULDAGE Inc. today announced a cooperation under which ULDAGE will offer MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Systems License along with ULDAGE’s ARIB license to companies based in Japan that sell mobile TV handsets for Japan’s One-Seg mobile terrestrial broadcasting service. One-Seg mobile TV handsets use both the Transport Layer of the MPEG-2 Systems Standard covered by MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Systems License and the ARIB One-Seg digital broadcast standard covered by ULDAGE’s ARIB License. Therefore, One-Seg handset manufacturers need coverage under patents essential to both standards and would benefit from both licenses.

“This collaboration marks two firsts,” said MPEG LA President and CEO Larry Horn. “It is the first time that two joint licensing administrators have joined forces. It is also the first time that a joint license has been offered covering patents essential to multiple standards utilized in a single product. We are especially thrilled to be able to do this with ULDAGE, whom we hold in the highest regard for its successful licensing of the Japanese market. We share a rich history and common values serving our customers and the market with licensing products of increasing convenience.”

“Doing this venture with MPEG LA holds special significance for us,” said ULDAGE President and CEO Yoshihide Nakamura. “MPEG LA ushered in the age of patent pool licensing bringing new efficiencies to the patent licensing market. Now together we usher in the age of product licensing. In response to market demand, through the cooperative effort of our companies each representing the gold standard in joint licensing, we are bringing new licensing products to market that will benefit the industry and its consumers.”

One-Seg is a mobile terrestrial digital audio, video and data broadcasting service used in Japan. ULDAGE’s ARIB Essential Patent License provides a license under Japanese Digital Broadcasting Standards including One-Seg that were developed by the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (“ARIB”).

The MPEG-2 Systems Standard defines how to format the various components of multiplexer programs and combine them into a single program or transport stream. Where the standard is used without licensed MPEG-2 video encoders or decoders, such as in One-Seg handset and other mobile television and audio receivers and certain set-top boxes and cameras, MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Systems Patent Portfolio License provides coverage under essential patents.

(DENVER, CO, US – 18 August 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that patent holders to MPEG LA’s licenses have filed enforcement actions against Haier America Trading, L.L.C., Haier Group Co., and HAIM L.L.C. (collectively, “Haier”) for infringement of patents used in digital televisions.

According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Haier offers products in the United States, such as digital television sets, without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or portfolio licenses offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Haier from using these patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 13 August 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several patent holders in MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License have filed separate patent enforcement actions in District Court Dusseldorf, Germany against Medion AG (“Medion”) for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

According to the complaints, Medion offers in Germany products, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, digital television sets and DVD players, which use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Medion from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 6 July 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced the offering of a new MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License that will provide uninterrupted coverage for the life of the MPEG-2 essential patents at reduced royalty rates beginning January 1, 2010.

“MPEG LA and the MPEG-2 Licensors are committed to assuring that our MPEG-2 License continues to be responsive to the needs of our customers and the marketplace, and the new MPEG-2 License provides further affirmation of that objective,” said Larry Horn, MPEG LA President and CEO.

From the later of January 1, 2010 or the execution date of the new License, the royalty rate for each MPEG-2 Decoding, Encoding and Consumer Product (as defined in the new License) will be US $2.00, down from the current $2.50, and royalties for MPEG-2 Packaged Medium (e.g., DVD Video Discs) will be reduced to US$0.0176 during 2010, and US$0.016 after 2010.

For more information about the new MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License or to request a copy of the License, please visit http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/Pages/Intro.aspx or email Licensing@mpegla.com.

(DENVER, CO, US 11 May 2009) MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has made significant progress working with a group of interested companies to facilitate creation of a joint patent pool license for the Long Term Evolution (LTE) Standard for mobile telecommunications. MPEG LA’s efforts, started last year, have been directed toward educating the market about the benefits of a pool license to address the patent thicket around this next generation wireless technology and assist the market with its adoption.

“The market is ready, and we are proud that industry leading companies have invited us to facilitate creation of an LTE pool license,” said MPEG LA President and CEO Larry Horn. “Given the history of telecommunications patent pools, MPEG LA has taken the time to consult directly with mobile network operators, network equipment manufacturers and mobile handset companies regarding the benefits of a patent pool for LTE, and they have encouraged MPEG LA to move forward with this effort. We are pleased by their vote of confidence. Next generation wireless technology, with its multifunctional capabilities, begs for a patent pool licensing alternative to make its full potential available to consumer worldwide, and MPEG LA’s success in creating large pool licenses uniquely positions us to achieve it.”

MPEG LA would like as many essential patent holders as possible to be included in this process. Therefore, MPEG LA invites any party that believes it has patents that are essential to the LTE Standard (see attached) to submit them by June 19, 2009 for evaluation of their essentiality by MPEG LA’s patent evaluators in order to participate in the creation of a joint LTE patent license. Although only issued patents will be included in the license, in order to participate in the license development process, patent applications with claims that their owners believe are essential to the LTE Standard and likely to issue in a patent also may be submitted. In addition, although the process will begin with LTE, it may be expanded at a later stage to provide coverage for backward compatibility with other mobile telecommunications technologies. Further information, along with terms and procedures governing patent submissions, can be found at http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/LTE/default.aspx.

LTE Standard

LTE is next-generation wireless technology enabling mobile networks to meet consumer demand to move to higher speed data communications beyond that offered by existing 3G networks. LTE also offers an internet protocol architecture that opens the door to wireless business models and devices not currently offered in traditional telecommunications networks.

(DENVER, CO, US – 21 April 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has commenced an action against Apex Digital, Inc. (“Apex Digital”) for breach of both a settlement agreement, which resolved a prior action, as well as its contractual obligations as a Licensee to MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License (the “MPEG-2 Contract”).

According to the complaint filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, Apex Digital breached its contractual obligations under the MPEG-2 Contract by failing to report its manufacture or sale of products such as DVD players, televisions and DTV converter boxes that use the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard, and failing to make payments for its manufacture or sale of such products. This is the third time MPEG LA has sued Apex Digital for breach of the MPEG-2 Contract. The second action was settled by execution of a settlement agreement, which MPEG LA also alleges Apex Digital has breached by failing to cooperate in an audit, and failing to pay royalties it owes MPEG LA.

MPEG LA seeks, among other things, monetary damages, an accounting of all products manufactured or sold by Apex Digital that are subject to the MPEG-2 Contract, and an injunction prohibiting Apex Digital from manufacturing or selling products using MPEG-2 patents until it pays all of the royalties it owes MPEG LA.

(DENVER, CO, US – 7 APRIL 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has commenced an action against Expedia Media LLC (“Expedia Media”) for breach of contractual obligations as a Licensee to MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License (the “MPEG-2 Contract”).

According to the complaint filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, Expedia Media has breached its contractual obligations by failing to report fully its manufacture or sale of products such as DVD Video discs that use the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard, failing to make full payments for its manufacture or sale of such products, and refusing to allow an audit as permitted by the MPEG-2 Contract.

MPEG LA seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an accounting of all products manufactured, used, sold or otherwise disposed of by Expedia Media that are subject to the MPEG-2 Contract.

(DENVER, CO, US – 10 March 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several patent holders in MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License have filed separate patent enforcement actions in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and Landgericht Düsseldorf against Lenovo Group Limited, Lenovo (United States) Inc. and Lenovo (Germany) GmbH (collectively, “Lenovo”) for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

According to the complaints, Lenovo offers in the United States and Germany products, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, Blu-ray Disc® drives, DVD drives and software, which use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Lenovo from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 2 February 2009) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that the coverage of its AVC Patent Portfolio License has been updated to conform with recent revisions to the AVC/H.264 Standard as defined in ISO/IEC 14496-10:2008, 4th Edition (2008-09-15). As a result of this update, the profiles now covered by the AVC Patent Portfolio License include Baseline, Main, Extended, High, High 10, High 4:2:2, High 4:4:4 Predictive, High 10 Intra, High 4:2:2 Intra, High 4:4:4 Intra, CAVLC 4:4:4 Intra, Scalable Baseline, Scalable High and Scalable High Intra.

(DENVER, CO, US – 11 December 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that COMAG Handels AG (“COMAG”) has entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. As a result of this agreement, COMAG and several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA have settled the patent enforcement actions pending before the District Court Düsseldorf, Germany.

(DENVER, CO, US – 8 December 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that Amino Communications Limited has entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. As a result of this agreement, several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA will withdraw patent enforcement actions pending before the District Court Düsseldorf, Germany and the Chancery Division Patents Court, Royal Courts of Justice, London.

(DENVER, CO, US – 4 December 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and ATI Technologies, Inc. have entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. As a result of this agreement, several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA will withdraw a patent enforcement action pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

(DENVER, CO, US – 17 November 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that Vizio, Inc. has entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. As a result of this agreement, several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA withdrew a patent enforcement action pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

(DENVER, CO, US – 16 October 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that Target Corporation has entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. Under the License with MPEG LA, Target will be responsible for paying royalties on its own store branded MPEG-2 products including digital TVs and DVD players sold under the name Trutech®. As a result of this agreement, several companies that license their essential MPEG-2 patents through MPEG LA dismissed a patent enforcement action pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

(DENVER, CO, US – 14 October 2008) – The District Court Düsseldorf, Germany recently pronounced 12 verdicts finding that DVD disc manufacturer Odeon Cineplex S.A. (“Odeon”) of Greece, has infringed certain MPEG-2 patents as a result of Odeon’s manufacture of DVD video discs.

The 12 verdicts of infringement were issued in each of the 12 cases for infringement of MPEG-2 patents owned by CIF Licensing, LLC; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic Corporation; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC). Those MPEG-2 patents are also included in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA, LLC.

As a result of these 12 verdicts and upon the patent owners providing the requisite security bonds, enforcement of the verdicts will require Odeon to cease its distribution of DVD video discs in Germany and to pay damages to the patent owners for past DVD video disc distribution in Germany. Odeon may appeal these verdicts.

The MPEG-2 Standard is the core technology underlying the efficient creation, transmission, storage and display of digitized moving images and sound tracks on which DVD and other digital technologies are based; and the DVD-Video Standard (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc, Part 3: VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS) requires DVD Video discs to contain information formatted in accordance with the MPEG-2 Standard.

(DENVER, CO, US – 18 September 2008) – The District Court Düsseldorf, Germany pronounced last week 12 verdicts on the merits finding that DVD disc manufacturers Dicentia Germany GmbH and Dicentia A/S (collectively, “Dicentia”) have infringed certain patents in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA as a result of Dicentia’s manufacture of DVD video discs.

The 12 verdicts of infringement were issued in all 12 cases on the merits brought by MPEG-2 patent owners who are also Licensors in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. Those patent owners include CIF Licensing, LLC; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC).

As a result of these 12 verdicts on the merits and upon the patent owners providing the requisite security bonds, enforcement of the verdicts will require Dicentia to cease its production of DVD video discs in Germany and to pay damages to the patent owners for past DVD video disc production. Dicentia may appeal these verdicts.

In addition, the District Court Düsseldorf issued preliminary injunctions against Mr. Torben Nordquist, Disc Technology Center GmbH and others on behalf of Sony and Philips as a result of the DVD video disc production activities at the former premises of Optical Disc Service (ODS) in Dassow, Germany. See German Court Issues More Verdicts against ODS. These injunctions can be appealed, too.

“The verdicts against Dicentia further confirm the need for a license under MPEG-2 patents in DVD video disc production,” said Larry Horn, CEO of MPEG LA.

The MPEG-2 Standard is the core technology underlying the efficient creation, transmission, storage and display of digitized moving images and sound tracks on which DVD and other digital technologies are based; and the DVD-Video Standard (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc, Part 3: VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS) requires DVD Video discs to contain information formatted in accordance with the MPEG-2 Standard.

(DENVER, CO, US – 29 August 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC and SISVEL S.p.A. announce that as of August 26, 2008 the administration of the DVB-T licensing program, including the administration of all DVB-T Patent Portfolio Licenses previously executed by MPEG LA and licensees, has been transferred from MPEG LA to SISVEL.

The DVB-T patent pool offers a fair, reasonable, nondiscriminatory access to patents owned by France Télécom, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) that have been determined to be essential for implementing DVB-T, the terrestrial digital television broadcast standard (European Telecommunications Standardization Institute ("ETSI") document ETS300744).

Effective August 26, 2008, licenses under those DVB-T essential patents will be available from SISVEL as an alternative to negotiating separate licenses with the individual patent owners. Existing licensees will receive further communications from MPEG LA regarding the details of the transfer. All inquiries related to licenses under the DVB-T essential patents can be directed to SISVEL and information regarding the DVB-T program can be found on SISVEL’s web-site at http://www.sisvel.com.

(DENVER, CO, US – 16 June 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced that Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (“Samsung”), a patent holder in MPEG LA’s ATSC Patent Portfolio License, has filed a patent enforcement action in the U.S. District Court of Delaware against Polaroid Corporation (“Polaroid”), owned by Petters Group Worldwide, LLC, and Westinghouse Digital Electronics, LLC (“Westinghouse”) for infringement of patents essential to the ATSC standard. Zenith Electronics LLC, also a participant in the ATSC Patent Portfolio program, has a suit pending against the same parties in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas for infringement of its patents essential to the ATSC standard.

According to the complaint, Polaroid and Westinghouse offer products, such as televisions, television tuners, set-top boxes and digital video recorders, which use patent-protected ATSC methods without having entered into a portfolio license offered by MPEG LA that includes these patents or a license with Samsung.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Polaroid and Westinghouse from using ATSC patents in their products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 9 June 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several leading companies have filed separate patent enforcement actions in District Court Dusseldorf, Germany against COMAG Handels AG (“COMAG”), for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

Included among the plaintiffs are: CIF Licensing, LLC; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Mitsubishi Denki K.K.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC).

According to the complaints, COMAG offers in Germany products, such as digital set-top boxes, which use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting COMAG from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(Denver, CO, US – 14 May 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced the appointment of JP Gascon as Chief Financial Officer and Alexis (Lexy) DeVane as General Counsel.

Mr. Gascon replaces James E. Kluttz, who recently retired. Gascon brings 20 years of experience in accounting, finance and treasury management, most recently as Acting Controller for MPEG LA and founder of consulting company Artemis Financial Controls. A graduate of Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Lyon, Gascon is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Colorado Society of Public Accountants, the Colorado Treasury Management Association and Institute of Internal Auditors. He is based in MPEG LA’s Denver, Colorado office.

Ms. DeVane has been a lawyer with Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, representing MPEG LA. Following her graduation from Emory University School of Law where she received a JD with honors and was elected to the Order of the Coif, DeVane clerked for The Honorable Julie E. Carnes, Federal District Court Judge for the Northern District of Georgia. DeVane graduated from Davidson College with a BA in Political Science and a minor in English, received a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Emory University, Candler School of Theology and was a Fulbright Scholar in Helsinki, Finland affiliated with the University of Helsinki, School of Law. She will join MPEG LA at the end of May and will be based in MPEG LA’s Chevy Chase, Maryland office.

“The addition of JP and Lexy brings even more strength to MPEG LA’s management team” said MPEG LA Chief Executive Officer Larry Horn. “In addition to a strong working knowledge of MPEG LA, they share an enthusiasm for the Company’s mission. We are pleased to have them. MPEG LA will benefit greatly from their experience and leadership.”

(DENVER, CO, US – 21 April 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several MPEG-2 patent owners have filed an enforcement action in the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York against Target Corporation (“Target”) and Doe Corporations 1-10, fictitious names for corporations currently unknown to the plaintiffs, for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

According to the complaint, Target offers in its retail stores a variety of products under its Trutech® house brand name, such as digital televisions and DVD players, that use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA. The complaint also alleges that at Target's request the Doe Corporations manufacture and produce the unlicensed products for sale by Target under Target's Trutech® brand name, but these Doe Corporations are not believed to be licensed or paying royalties on Target's behalf.

“We have offered Target a license, but regrettably they have refused,” said MPEG LA CEO Larry Horn. “We join those patent owners whose technologies Target is using without benefit of license and those companies who are licensed and paying their fair share of royalties in the hope that these actions finally will get their attention.”

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Target from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(Chevy Chase, MD, US – 11 March 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that seven DVD Video disc replicators have become Licensees to MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License in conclusion of patent enforcement actions brought by MPEG-2 patent owners in the District Court Düsseldorf, Germany.

The seven DVD disc manufacturers include CDA Datenträger Albrechts GmbH of Germany, East European Authoring and Encoding Centre Ltd. of Bulgaria, GEMA OD S.A. of Spain, GZ Digital Media a.s. of the Czech Republic, MAF Diskettes SrL of Italy, Megaus Sp. z.o.o. of Poland, and The Video Duplicating Co. Ltd. (VDC) of the United Kingdom.

“We are pleased to welcome these seven DVD Video disc replicators as Licensees to the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License” said Larry Horn, CEO of MPEG LA. “They join more than 1,300 other companies as Licensees, including the world’s leading DVD Video disc manufacturers responsible for most DVD Video discs produced in the current world market.”

Plaintiffs in the cases against the seven DVD Video disc replicators included CIF Licensing, LLC; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.

Additional enforcement actions by MPEG-2 patent owners are pending in Germany against DVD Video disc replicators Dicentia Germany GmbH, Dicentia A/S and Odeon Cineplex (formerly Digital Press Hellas), and in Denmark against Dicentia A/S.

The MPEG-2 Standard is the core technology underlying the efficient creation, transmission, storage and display of digitized moving images and sound tracks on which DVD and other digital technologies are based; and the DVD-Video Standard (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc, Part 3: VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS) requires DVD Video discs to contain information formatted in accordance with the MPEG-2 Standard.

(DENVER, CO, US – 04 March 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several leading companies and a university have filed separate patent enforcement actions in District Court Dusseldorf, Germany against Alba plc (“Alba”) for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

“We have offered Alba a license for many years, but regrettably they have refused,” said MPEG LA CEO Larry Horn. “We join those patent owners whose technologies Alba is using without benefit of license and those companies who are licensed and paying their fair share of royalties in the hope that these actions finally will get their attention.”

Included among the plaintiffs are: CIF Licensing, LLC; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Denki K.K.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.

According to the complaints, Alba offers in Germany products such as digital televisions, DVD players and set-top boxes that use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Alba from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US – 28 February 2008) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that several leading companies and a university have filed separate patent enforcement actions in District Court Dusseldorf, Germany against Amino Communications Limited (“Amino”) for infringing patents essential to the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard used worldwide in digital television broadcasting and DVD.

Plaintiffs in the various lawsuits include: CIF Licensing, LLC; The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York; GE Technology Development, Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Denki K.K.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sony Corporation; Thomson Licensing S.A.; and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.

According to the complaints, Amino offers in Germany products, such as set-top boxes and other digital television delivery systems, which use patent protected MPEG-2 methods without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or a portfolio license that includes these patents offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Amino from using MPEG-2 patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

(DENVER, CO, US –20 December 2007) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has commenced an action against Audiovox Electronics Corporation (“Audiovox”) for breach of contractual obligations as a Licensee to MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License (the “MPEG-2 Contract”) and 1394 Patent Portfolio License (the “1394 Contract”).

According to the complaint filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Audiovox has breached its contractual obligations by failing to report fully its manufacture or sale of products such as DVD players and digital TVs that use the MPEG-2 digital video compression standard or employ the high speed transfer digital interface provided for in the IEEE 1394 standard, failing to make full payments for its manufacture or sale of such products, and refusing to allow an audit as permitted by the MPEG-2 Contract and 1394 Contract (collectively, “the Contracts”).

MPEG LA seeks, among other things, monetary damages, an order requiring Audiovox to allow the contractually required audit, an accounting of all products manufactured or sold by Audiovox subject to the Contracts, as well as injunctive relief prohibiting Audiovox from the manufacture or sale of MPEG-2 and 1394 products.

(DENVER, CO, US – 5 November 2007) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has commenced an action against Alcatel Lucent (“Alcatel”) for breach of contractual obligations as a Licensor in MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 patent pool licensing program. The suit also names Lucent Technologies, Inc. (“Lucent”) and Multimedia Patent Trust (the “Trust”).

According to the complaint filed in the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware, Alcatel promised to make available to Licensees through MPEG LA’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License all MPEG-2 essential patents which Alcatel can license or sublicense – and not take any action to subvert that commitment. But rather than abide by that promise, Alcatel and Lucent created the Trust to hold patents that Alcatel was and is required to place into the MPEG-2 License, and has taken the position that the essential MPEG-2 patents purportedly transferred to the Trust cannot be placed in the MPEG-2 License.

In fact, the patents were transferred to the Trust (in which Alcatel has 99% beneficial ownership) with Alcatel’s agreement and consent, and the only purpose of the transfer was to avoid Alcatel’s contractual commitment in order to extract additional royalties from MPEG-2 patent pool Licensees.

MPEG LA seeks, among other things, declaratory, injunctive and other equitable relief.

(CHEVY CHASE, MD, US – 20 September 2007) – MPEG LA, LLC today announced the availability of the ATSC Patent Portfolio License. The joint license includes patents that are essential to the digital television standard (including high definition and standard definition) developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) and used in digital televisions sold in the United States, South Korea, Mexico, Canada and other countries.

Essential patent holders include Zenith Electronics Corporation; Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic); LG Electronics Inc.; and Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.

"MPEG LA is proud to play a continuing role in support of digital television's now and next generation," said MPEG LA Chief Executive Officer Larry Horn. "This license gives further testimony to the ability of the MPEG LA^® Licensing Model to address real world market demand for a convenient and reliable one-stop licensing alternative enabling manufacturers to focus their resources on new product development. We applaud these patent holders for their exemplary cooperation in coming together for the benefit of the marketplace with patents of demonstrated value to forge a voluntary marketplace solution inuring to the benefit of ATSC consumers.” Copies of the license agreement may be obtained at http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/ATSC/Pages/Agreement.aspx

MPEG LA welcomes any party that believes it has patents which are essential to the ATSC Standard to submit them for an evaluation of their essentiality by MPEG LA’s patent experts and inclusion in the License if determined to be essential. Interested parties may request a copy of the terms and procedures governing patent submissions at http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/ATSC/Pages/Licensors.aspx. MPEG LA’s objective is to provide worldwide access to as much ATSC essential intellectual property as possible for the benefit of licensees (new patent holders and essential patents may be added at no additional royalty during the current term of the License.

(DENVER, CO, US – 18 September 2007) – MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that it has sued Opta Corporation and its subsidiary Opta Systems, LLC, formerly doing business as GoVideo, for breach of Opta Systems, LLC’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License and 1394 Patent Portfolio License (“Contracts”) with MPEG LA.

According to the complaint filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, Opta Systems, LLC has breached its contractual obligations to MPEG LA by failing to report the manufacture and sale of MPEG-2 and 1394 Royalty Products and pay royalties as required by the Contracts. Opta Systems, LLC manufactured and sold DVD players and other devices incorporating patented MPEG-2 and IEEE 1394 technologies. It is further alleged that Opta Systems, LLC’s assets were later transferred to Opta Corporation to avoid paying royalties. MPEG LA seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an order enjoining Opta Systems, LLC and Opta Corporation from using MPEG-2 and 1394 patents.

Digital Products International (DPI, Inc.), formerly GPX, Inc., which reportedly now has an exclusive licensing agreement with Opta Corporation for use of the GoVideo brand, is an MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio Licensee in good standing and is not a party to this action.

(Denver, Colorado, US – 12 April 2007) – On April 10, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado granted MPEG LA’s motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining Mintek Digital, Inc. ("Mintek") from further transferring its assets to circumvent liabilities for royalties owed to MPEG LA pending a hearing on MPEG LA’s motion for a preliminary injunction to be held on May 2. The motion was filed in connection with MPEG LA’s lawsuit against Mintek and its parent, Jiangsu Digital Technology Co., Ltd ("Shinco Digital"), and Shinco Digital's parent, Shinco Electronics Group Co., Ltd., for breach of Mintek’s MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License with MPEG LA (MPEG LA Sues Mintek Digital, Inc. for Breach of MPEG-2 License Agreement). The Court granted the motion based on evidence indicating that Mintek, at the direction of its parent company, transferred inventory, customers and orders to SuperView Technology without compensation and used the inventory to fulfill customer orders.

(Denver, CO, US – 9 April 2007) MPEG LA, LLC today announced that it has sued DVD video disc manufacturer Regency Media Pty Ltd. of Australia for breach of its MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License ("Contract") with MPEG LA. The suit also names related entities AAV Regency Pty Ltd. and AAV Regency Management Pty Ltd. According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Regency repeatedly has breached its contractual obligations to MPEG LA by failing to report the manufacture and sale of MPEG-2 Royalty Products and pay royalties as required by the Contract. MPEG LA seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an accounting of all products subject to the Contract, as well as injunctive relief prohibiting Regency from the manufacture or sale of MPEG-2 Royalty Products.

(Chevy Chase, Maryland USA – 14 March 2007) – MPEG LA today announced the availability of the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License. Copies of the license agreement may be obtained at http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/VC1/Pages/Agreement.aspx.

As a convenience to the marketplace, the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License offers fair, reasonable, nondiscriminatory access to essential VC-1 intellectual property owned by multiple patent holders in a single license as an alternative to negotiating separate licenses. The License includes essential VC-1 patents owned by DAEWOO Electronics Corporation; France Télécom, société anonyme; Fujitsu Limited; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.; LG Electronics Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic); Microsoft Corporation; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation; Pantech&Curitel Communications, Inc.; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; Telenor ASA; Toshiba Corporation; and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC).

(Chevy Chase, Maryland USA – 6 March 2007) – MPEG LA announced today that DVD replicators ODS Optical Disc Service GmbH, Dassow, Germany, ("ODS"), as well as the ODS Business Services Group companies ("ODS Business Services") ODS Optical Disc Replication GmbH, Dassow, Germany, ODS Business Service Srl (just renamed to ODS Optical Disc Service Srl), Milano, Italy, ODS Optical Disc Service SAS, Quincy, France and the new affiliate ODS Optical Disc Replication Limited, Swindon, UK, have entered into the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. This also concludes actions in courts in the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere.

(Chevy Chase, Maryland USA - 21 February 2007) - MPEG LA announced today that the fourth meeting of essential Blu-ray Disc^TM patent owners, currently consisting of 18 companies, was held in New York on February 6-7 for the purpose of creating a joint license providing fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory access to essential patents, as an alternative to negotiating separate licenses. Significant progress has been made in identifying licensing terms for Blu-ray Disc^TM products such as players, recorders, drives, software, recordable discs and prerecorded discs. Participating companies include CyberLink Corporation; Dell Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Company; Hitachi Ltd.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.; LG Electronics Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic); Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Pioneer Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sonic Solutions; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.; and Warner Home Video Inc.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 1 February 2007) - MPEG LA, LLC today announced that it has sued Mintek Digital, Inc. ("Mintek"), a manufacturer and supplier of DVD players located in California, for breach of its MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License ("Contract") with MPEG LA. The suit also names Mintek's parent Jiangsu Digital Technology Co., Ltd ("Shinco Digital") and Shinco Digital's parent, Shinco Electronics Group Co., Ltd. ("Shinco Electronics"), both located in China, as responsible for Mintek's obligations. According to the complaint, Mintek failed to report fully its use of MPEG-2 patents and make royalty payments as required by the Contract. The lawsuit brought in the US District Court of Colorado seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an order enjoining Mintek from using MPEG-2 patents in its products.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 12 January 2007) - A district court in Germany (Landgericht Düsseldorf) today issued a preliminary injunction finding that statements by German DVD disc manufacturer Optical Disc Service ("ODS") to the effect that ODS has acquired the DVD manufacturing license issued by MPEG LA infringe German competition law. According to the preliminary injunction, ODS is prohibited from making and publicizing false statements such as those made by ODS in a December 28, 2006 press release, which claimed, "As part of the asset deal ODS has acquired the DVD manufacturing licenses issued by MPEG LA and 6C/Toshiba. After litigation with MPEG LA in Europe about the validity of patents and the size of royalty payments, the ODS Group's manufacturing operations in the US, the UK and in Germany have now agreed to be MPEG LA and 6C/Toshiba licensees for their entire DVD production." See Statements Attributed to ODS Regarding MPEG LA License Are In Error.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 11 January 2007) - Today the leading District Court for patent infringement in Germany, the Landgericht Düsseldorf, has announced six additional verdicts finding that DVD disc manufacturer Optical Disc Service ("ODS") has infringed certain patents licensed in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA, LLC as a result of ODS's manufacture of DVD video discs.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 3 January 2007) - MPEG LA today refuted statements attributed to DVD disc manufacturer ODS Optical Disc Service ("ODS") to the effect that ODS affiliates have acquired a license issued by MPEG LA (e.g., http://ww2.abc11tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5865832, http://www.homemediaretailing.com/index.cfm?sec_id=2). MPEG LA has not entered into any license with ODS or any ODS affiliate, and any suggestion or reliance to the contrary is in error. DVD Video discs in accordance with the DVD-Video Standard (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc, Part 3: VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS) contain information formatted in accordance with the MPEG-2 Standard, but ODS and ODS affiliates remain unlicensed under patents in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA that are essential to its use. Use of such patents without license also may create infringement liability for ODS customers.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 21 December 2006) - With the posting of security bonds earlier this week, several patent holders enforced verdicts in the German District court (Landgericht Düsseldorf) cases finding that DVD disc manufacturer Optical Disc Service ("ODS") infringed patents licensed in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA, and enforcement of additional verdicts is expected. See German Court Finds DVD Disc Manufacturer ODS Infringes MPEG-2 Patents. As a result, although the verdicts can be appealed, ODS must cease and desist its current DVD production, which uses the enforced patents, and pay damages to the patent owners for past DVD production.

(Denver, Colorado, USA - 6 December 2006) - In its continued response to marketplace interest in accessing as much essential intellectual property as possible in a single license, MPEG LA, LLC today expanded its call for patents essential to the implementation of the Blu-ray Disc^TM Standard to include the following specification:

   System Description Blu-ray Disc^TM Rewritable Format,

   Part 3 Audio Visual Basic Specifications, Version 3.0, September 2006

Inclusion of this specification is in addition to other Blu-ray Disc^TM Specifications encompassed by previous calls for patents issued by MPEG LA [see MPEG LA Expands Call for Blu-ray Disc^TM Patents and MPEG LA Further Expands Call for Blu-ray Disc^TM Patents]. Patents essential to additional Blu-ray Disc^TM Specifications may be called for in the future.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 30 November 2006) - A District Court in Germany (Landgericht Düsseldorf ) today announced verdicts finding that German DVD disc manufacturer Optical Disc Service ("ODS") has infringed certain patents licensed in the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA as a result of ODS's manufacture of DVD discs. The verdict of infringement as a result of DVD disc manufacturing issued in eight of nine cases brought by six patent holders who are Licensors to MPEG LA's MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License. See Leading Companies and University Sue DVD Disc Manufacturer ODS for Patent Infringement . The patent holders alleged that using the MPEG-2 Standard in recording video onto DVD discs constituted acts of infringement. The MPEG-2 Standard is the core technology underlying the efficient creation, transmission, storage and display of digitized moving images and sound tracks on which DVD and other digital technologies are based; and the DVD-Video Standard (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc, Part 3: VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS) requires DVD Video discs to contain information formatted in accordance with the MPEG-2 Standard.

(Denver, Colorado, US - 18 October 2006) - MPEG LA today announced that DVD manufacturers Sonopress GmbH; Sonopress Ireland Ltd., Dublin; Sonopress Iber-Memory S.A., Madrid; Sonopress Pan Asia Ltd., Hong Kong; Sonopress Singapore Pte Ltd., Singapore; Arvato de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Mexico; Sonopress Rimo Industria e Comercio Fonografica Ltda, Sao Paulo; and Sonopress Pty., Sydney have rejoined Sonopress LLC, Weaverville as licensees to the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License offered by MPEG LA. This agreement also concludes actions in a district court of the Federal Republic of Germany.