Please email any questions you have to our Q&A Department.
Q: What does the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License cover?
A:The VC-1 Patent Portfolio License provides coverage for the VC-1 Standard to the extent posted here.
Q: Who are the essential patent holders (“Licensors”) to the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License?
A: Click here.
Q: What are the obligations of the Licensors with regard to their VC-1 Essential patents?
A: Each Licensor is under an obligation to grant to MPEG LA a worldwide, nonexclusive license under all VC-1 Essential Patents that it and its Affiliates has the right to license or sublicense presently or in the future (without payment to any unaffiliated third party), enabling MPEG LA to grant worldwide, nonexclusive sublicenses under such patents under terms of the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License.
Q: What is the effect on Licensees when new patents are added to the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License?
A: The royalties payable under the License do not increase or decrease because of an increase or decrease in the number of VC-1 Essential Patents or because of an increase or decrease in the prices of a Licensee’s VC-1 Royalty Products. Rather, they are the value of a license granted under the Patent Portfolio taking into consideration the commercial intention of the Licensors to facilitate adoption of the VC-1 Standard and make available a pool license in which royalties are the same whether one or more patents is used. New Licensors and new patents are added to the License without the obligation to pay additional royalties during the current Term of the License.
Q: Are all VC-1 essential patents included?
A: While Licensors are under an obligation to grant to MPEG LA a worldwide, nonexclusive license under all VC-1 Essential Patents that it and its Affiliates presently or in the future has the right to license or sublicense, enabling MPEG LA to grant worldwide, nonexclusive sublicenses under terms of the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License, no assurance is or can be made that the License includes every essential patent. The purpose of the License is to offer a convenient licensing alternative to everyone on the same terms and to include as much essential intellectual property as possible for their convenience. Participation in the License is voluntary on the part of essential patent holders, however.
Q: How may a patent holder become a Licensor to the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License?
A: Any party that believes it has patents which are essential to the VC-1 Standard, and wishes to participate in the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License upon successful evaluation, is invited to submit them for evaluation and inclusion. Click here to request a copy of the terms and procedures governing the patent submission process.
Q: How many licenses does a VC-1 user need?
A: It is up to each user to determine its own licensing needs and how it wishes to meet them. The VC-1 Patent Portfolio License is provided for a user’s convenience in acquiring patent rights necessary for the VC-1 Standard from multiple essential patent holders in a single transaction rather than electing its option to negotiate separate license agreements with individual essential patent holders. But, users have the right to separately negotiate a license with any and all of the essential patent holders under any and all of the essential patents under terms to be independently negotiated by each. In addition, as discussed above, users who take MPEG LA’s license may have to negotiate licenses with other entities for essential patents that are not included in this License. A license also may be necessary for other important patents (which are not essential to the VC-1 standard) that may be used.
Q: How is the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License organized?
A. Click here for information.
Q: What are the royalties for the VC-1 Patent Portfolio License?
A. Royalties apply as defined in the License. Click here for information.
Q: Do the same licensing terms apply to all profiles of the VC-1 Standard?
A: Yes, the same terms apply whether one or more profiles is used.