Via Licensing Corporation is pleased to announce terms for a joint patent license for patents essential to the MPEG Surround™ standard.
Targeting applications beyond the traditional platforms for multichannel audio, such as broadcast television, to newer platforms, such as gaming consoles, the unique capabilities of MPEG Surround open up entirely new opportunities for efficient, over-the-air download service for multichannel audio, including digital radio systems, mobile TV, portable media players, and cellular phones.
License fees for the MPEG Surround joint patent license agreement are presented on the Via Licensing website at www.vialicensing.com/licensing/MPEGSurround_index.cfm. The MPEG Surround joint patent license is aimed at developers of end-user products that incorporate MPEG Surround encoding and/or decoding. There are no patent license fees associated with the use or distribution of content prepared in the MPEG Surround format.
MPEG Surround is a highly efficient method of transmitting multichannel audio through bandwidth-limited channels. Rather than encoding all channels of a multichannel audio signal, MPEG Surround creates parametric descriptions of key signal characteristics to deliver multichannel audio at bit rates only slightly higher than those needed for stereo. While maintaining compatibility with stereo-only systems or delivery formats, MPEG Surround also supports existing matrix surround systems, and in addition, can deliver a very effective impression of surround audio over standard stereo headphones.
The result of several years of effort by the International Organization for Standardization, and published as ISO/IEC 2003-1 in 2007, MPEG Surround operates independently of the underlying audio coding system and can be utilized with AAC, High Efficiency AAC, MPEG Layer-2, or even PCM.
In order to promote wide adoption of MPEG Surround and establish a fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory licensing environment for this open standard, a worldwide joint licensing program is being established. Holders of patents essential to the standard participating in the formation of the joint licensing program include Dolby Laboratories, Inc., France Telecom, Fraunhofer IIS, LG Electronics, LSI Corporation, and Philips Electronics. Via Licensing is acting as the license administrator for the joint licensing program. The MPEG Surround joint patent license agreement is expected to be available in the first quarter of calendar year 2009.
To learn more about MPEG Surround at the IBC show in Amsterdam and experience Digital Surround Radio, visit the Fraunhofer IIS booth C.81 in hall 8.
Via Licensing continues to welcome the addition of third parties that hold patents essential to the practice of MPEG Surround. Parties holding patents they believe are necessary for the practice of the MPEG Surround standard may obtain participation information by sending an email requesting the MPEG Surround patent submission guidelines to submissions@vialicensing.com.
About Via Licensing Corporation
Via Licensing Corporation develops and administers patent licensing programs on behalf of innovative technology companies and for the convenience of licensees. Via Licensing Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) and benefits from the expertise, infrastructure, and strategic business relationships that Dolby has developed in more than 35 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.
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the capabilities and adoption of MPEG Surround and the eventual availability and expected timing of a joint patent license for technologies essential to the MPEG Surround standard licensing program, are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The following important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: risks associated with licensing technologies through joint licensing programs; risks associated with licensing industry-standard technologies; risks associated with developing proprietary technology in markets in which “open standards” are adopted; market acceptance of MPEG Surround-capable devices; rapid changes in audio surround-sound transmission technologies; risks associated with the development of markets for MPEG Surround-capable products; and other risks detailed in Dolby Laboratories Inc.’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including the risks identified under the section captioned "Risk Factors" in its most recent Periodic Report on Form 10-Q or 10-K. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
MPEG Surround™ is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc., Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, LSI Corp. and Philips Applied Technologies. S08/20392
Contacts:
Jeanne Alford, 415-645-5000 (Media)
jeanne.a@vialicensing.com
