DVB fosters licensing programme for CPCM technology

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Geneva – 25 February 2007 – The DVB Project has announced that it is fostering the formation of a licensing programme covering patents essential to its Content Protection, Copy Management technology (CPCM).  The next meeting of holders of CPCM technology is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, 12 March, in Budapest.  The Budapest meeting is open to anyone that has a good faith belief that it holds patents essential to the CPCM specification and is willing to consider licensing these patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The CPCM technical specification was recently finalised and approved by the DVB Steering Board for formal standardisation by ETSI.

An initial meeting of holders was held in Geneva in mid-December.  Some 12 companies participated and agreed to have a further meeting to discuss steps that could lead to the formation of a CPCM licensing programme.  As part of its effort to foster patent pools covering its specifications, DVB is convening the Budapest meeting of CPCM holders.  It is expected however that the patent holders will shortly select a commercial facilitator to take forward the pooling effort. 

Participation in any licensing programme that develops from this process will be voluntary and non-exclusive. 

Note to editors:
The meeting on CPCM licensing will take place during the morning of 12 March at the Intercontinental Hotel, Budapest, on the fringes of the DVB World conference.  For the agenda of the Budapest meeting and further information on the DVB’s effort to foster a CPCM licensing programme, contact DVB’s Legal Director, Carter Eltzroth, at eltzroth@dvb.org. As part of its policy governing the licensing of patents essential to its specifications, the DVB fosters the formation of voluntary licensing programmes.  This encouragement of patent pools, and DVB’s policy on intellectual property rights, are described here.