<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy definition, a standard-setting organization(SSO) develops and adopts an industry standard for a particular domain. Two standard-setting organizations \u2013 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) <\/strong>and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) <\/strong>have developed a series of standards that have shaped the media industry. The ISO has created the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) series of standards such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4. While the ITU has published the H.26x line of coding standards including H.261, H.262, H.263, H.264, H.265, and H.266 (the VVC standard).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Video Codec Patent Licensing Pools and their Importance<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen competing businesses with patents on a specific technology refuse to share their IP, it dampens innovation in that industry. One way to tackle this issue is to create a patent pool, which is an agreement between two or more patent holders who transfer their IP to a joint venture. The businesses inside the pool either enter into a cross-license agreement with each other or with a third party. Such a pool enables licensees to use patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to video codecs, there are three main patent pool administrators \u2013 HEVC Advance, MPEG LA, and Velos Media. HEVC Advance<\/strong> (also known as Access Advance) has been created to develop, administer, and manage patent pools related to HEVC or H.265 standards. This patent pool administrator recently launched the VVC\/H.266 pool and also introduced a multi-codec bridging agreement (MCBA). MPEG LA<\/strong> has also announced the development of a VVC standard patent licensing pool. Velos Media<\/strong> is yet another independent company licensing standard patents from different companies. While these pools allow licensees access to as many patents as possible, there is a probability of some patents being essential to the standards but not being part of any of these pools. The best way to tackle this challenge is to have an all-inclusive patent pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiven the growing video viewership around the world, it is imperative to provide quality videos at high speed. Video coding and streaming technologies can help in doing so by compressing videos and transmitting them while maintaining their quality. Further, to foster innovation in the media industry and ensure equitable access to these programs or technologies and their related patents, some licensing pools have been created. However, there is an increasing need to fine-tune how FRAND licensing is being done by these pools due to the high disparity in their royalty rates. To know more about the topic, view our webinar here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Abhinav Mahajan, Gagandeep Singh (ICT Licensing) and the Editorial Team<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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