DVB extends patent pool to GEM – Momentum grows for world GEM for iTV

2nd May 2003

Geneva–1st May 2003 – The DVB Project announced today that it has extended the work of the DVB patent coordinator to include an assessment of its recently adopted specification for the Globally Executable MHP. The work of the coordinator, Sughrue Mion PLLC, will now encompass the DVB’s MHP specification, the OCAP specification of CableLabs, and the GEM specification.  DVB, together with CableLabs and Sughrue, held a first meeting for potential declarants and other interested parties to discuss the pooling process in Geneva, Switzerland last week on the fringes of the DVB’s steering board. 

The patent coordinator’s work is to review declarations made of patents essential to these and other DVB specifications.  It is the first step in a process leading to the formation of a patent pool covering these standards. The objective is to create efficient access to the intellectual property rights necessary for implementation and offered on terms fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory.   Holders of IPRs essential to a DVB specification should make their declarations as promptly as possible to Sughrue Mion.

Carter Eltzroth, Legal Director DVB, stated, “DVB is pleased with the number and quality of declarations to date and the addition of GEM to the work will add momentum.  New declarants will be joining the seven declarants to date (representing 45 patents) and other important rights holders across the consumer electronic and software communities.  I look forward to closing this initial phase of the patent pooling process later this year.” 

Sughrue as independent patent specialist will assess the declarations submitted.  Based on the conclusions drawn from that assessment, those holding essential IPR in each specification will be invited to consider forming a licensing programme. The economic terms of that programme, and the choice of licensing administrator, remain a decision of the participants in each licensing programme.

Alan Kasper, partner at Sughrue Mion, stated, “Our Geneva meeting was the first of several to explain the pooling process, our role in assessing the declarations, and our methodology.  I look forward to the next meetings with other potential licensees and interested parties.”  Meetings are tentatively scheduled to occur during the NCTA in Chicago in early June, in East Asia, and at the IBC in Amsterdam in mid-September. 

Holders of IPRs essential to the implementation of a DVB standard are invited to identify their rights by submitting the attached Statement of Declarant (available also at www.mhp.org) and a per-patent submission fee of $3,500 USD to:

DVB Patent Pool Coordinator
c/o Alan J Kasper, Esq
Sughrue Mion PLLC
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC  20037-3213
U.S.A

T:  +1 202 293 7060
E:  akasper@sughrue.com

Download the complete press release and “Statement of Declarant”