Widevine Sues Verimatrix for Patent Infringement

Content security software vendor Widevine Technologies Inc. is suing Verimatrix Inc. for patent infringement, claiming it made multiple attempts to openly license its intellectual property to Verimatrix.

Widevine filed the suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, for unspecified damages. The company offers downloadable content protection and security software, while many rivals offer hardware options or ones tied to a specific platform or operating system.

Widevine said that Verimatrix has willfully infringed and continues to do so on Widevine's patent rights. Widevine said it previously provided Verimatrix with the opportunity to openly license the selective encryption patent, and claims Verimatrix has not responded to the open licensing opportunity.

Widevine’s software is designed to enable telco, Internet, mobile, cable and satellite service operators securely distribute, identify and track multimedia content. The code can be used in set-top boxes, personal video recorders, portable media players and mobile devices. Verimatrix also offers software-based solutions.

Content security and tracking wares are considered the lynchpin to the broad availability of video content from copyright- and piracy-concerned content owners who also see great opportunities in distributing their assets through multiple platforms.

“When our intellectual property is taken, without our permission or through unauthorized licensing, we have no option but to protect it through every means available to us,” said Widevine Technologies’ general counsel Mani Aliabadi.

“Verimatrix feels the claim is without merit,” said a spokesperson for the company. “We will vigorously defend ourselves against the lawsuit.”

In general, Widevine said its patent describes and claims methods and systems for selectively encrypting different portions of data sent over a network. Specifically, Widevine claims: “Verimatrix’s content security solutions, such as the Verimatrix Content Authority System (VCAS), infringe on Widevine’s apparatus, system and method for selectively encrypting different portions of data sent over a network patent No. 7,165,175. Verimatrix’s VCAS solutions — which have been sold throughout the world — practice Widevine’s selective encryption patent.”

Widevine Technologies Inc. www.widevine.com
Verimatrix Inc. www.verimatrix.com

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines