AT&T Drops the MPEG Compression Patent Hammer

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1923218,00.asp

"AT&T has begun to name names in its hunt to license its MPEG video compression patents. AT&T possesses several patents related to video compression, which the company says are an essential component of the MPEG-4 video technology. In a bid to drive its global licensing program, AT&T has targeted Apple Computer, Inc., CyberLink Corp., DivX, Inc., InterVideo, Inc., and Sonic Solutions as unlicensed companies whose products and software utilize the MPEG-4 technology. AT&T has also contacted national retailers that distribute products from the companies listed above, to let them know that they may be held liable for infringement."

Given the complexity of this issue, it could open a whole mess o' ugly worms for a huge variety of companies. MPEG4 playback is standard on a massive array of digital media devices, and if AT&T is going to try and go after every single one - and the retailers that sell them - this could go on for years. What baffles me is why they've waited this long. One possible explanation is that they were waiting for MPEG4 to reach critical mass, be widely adopted, then they drop the hammer. That's pure genius, but also pure evil.

People often decry the closed nature of Windows Media the fact that licensing has to come from Microsoft, but if you look at a situation like this where a more open standard is a confusing mess of patents and intellectual property, licensing a proprietary technology from a single vendor seems like a much wiser move.

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1923218,00.asp

"AT&T has begun to name names in its hunt to license its MPEG video compression patents. AT&T possesses several patents related to video compression, which the company says are an essential component of the MPEG-4 video technology. In a bid to drive its global licensing program, AT&T has targeted Apple Computer, Inc., CyberLink Corp., DivX, Inc., InterVideo, Inc., and Sonic Solutions as unlicensed companies whose products and software utilize the MPEG-4 technology. AT&T has also contacted national retailers that distribute products from the companies listed above, to let them know that they may be held liable for infringement."

Given the complexity of this issue, it could open a whole mess o' ugly worms for a huge variety of companies. MPEG4 playback is standard on a massive array of digital media devices, and if AT&T is going to try and go after every single one - and the retailers that sell them - this could go on for years. What baffles me is why they've waited this long. One possible explanation is that they were waiting for MPEG4 to reach critical mass, be widely adopted, then they drop the hammer. That's pure genius, but also pure evil.

People often decry the closed nature of Windows Media the fact that licensing has to come from Microsoft, but if you look at a situation like this where a more open standard is a confusing mess of patents and intellectual property, licensing a proprietary technology from a single vendor seems like a much wiser move.

[jeffd]

How could this happen? first... its an MPEG standered. Shouldnt this be owned by the mpeg cunsortium?

I thought we learned our lesson with mp3 and gif. Never popularise a compression that is owned by someone who is turning a blind eye. I wonder if divx's and xvid's non-mpeg4 compatable modes are safe from at&t.

[Felix Torres]

Originally Posted by jeffd

How could this happen? first... its an MPEG standered. Shouldnt this be owned by the mpeg cunsortium?

That's what *they* thought. 8)
Doesn't mean that one of their "contributions" to the patent pool might not be stomping over an AT&T patent.

Gotta remember that AT&T is now under new ownership, so the new owners could simply be taking stock in what they bought and have decided they want their share of the video pie. No great evil required to get here; just a new administration reading the portfolio differently.

Of course, considering that SBC/AT&T is getting into the video distribution business using, not MPEG4 but WMV tech, they benefit double if they can collect MPEG4 royalties *and* raise costs for their competitors relying on it. :twisted:

Its just business as usual, guys.

[Damion Chaplin]

AT&T's trying to make money off it because everyone uses it, but the reason why it's so ubiquitous is because it's freely available. What they're is doing may change that situation and thus make it impossible for them to actually make money off it. :roll:

[Kacey Green]

same thing happened last year when Microsoft started charging for licenses to the FAT file system