Technicolor leaves HEVC Advance patent pool

Technicolor has left the HEVC Advance patent pool, deciding instead to license its HEVC IP portfolio directly to device manufacturers.

The company, which was a founding member and important contributor to the independent licensing administrator, said that it believes licensing direct to partners will “accelerate adoption of the standard” and that it now plans to license its patents to device makers, rather than content streaming companies.

“HEVC is today the best video compression technology to meet industry needs, such as the shift towards next generation video formats like UHD and HDR. As a leading developer and proponent of HEVC technology, Technicolor strongly believes that the rapid and widespread adoption of a unified technology is the best outcome for the industry and for Technicolor,” it said in a statement.

HEVC Advance said that its patent list has been updated to remove the 12 Technicolor patents previously included. This list now includes 371 patents and will “continue to expand rapidly,” according to the body.

“Since their acquisition of Cisco’s set-top box business and their recent changes in management, it appears that bilateral licensing would be a better fit for Technicolor’s current business dynamics,” said HEVC Advance in a statement.

“HEVC Advance agrees with Technicolor that the rapid and widespread adoption of HEVC is the best outcome for the industry, and looks forward to facilitating that adoption through the HEVC Advance patent pool. HEVC Advance remains the most effective and efficient means to acquire a license to a substantial portfolio of the most important and foundational HEVC essential patents.”

Technicolor said it has signed a patent license agreement for the use of its patents related to HEVC technologies and aims to “pave the way for the industry to adopt the HEVC standard and encourage other patent holders to enter into similar agreements.”