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Global Technology Leaders Adopt Access Advance's Video Distribution Patent Pool

via Business Wire

A diverse group of global companies across the video ecosystem has joined Access Advance's Video Distribution Patent ("VDP") Pool and is now sharing why they selected this pool. Positioned as a balanced, transparent, and comprehensive video codec licensing solution for the video streaming industry, the pool brings together major patent holders, video platform operators, and stakeholders in the consumer device market in an effort to help the industry navigate the complex licensing challenges in the rapidly evolving video distribution markets.

The VDP Pool has attracted an unprecedented list of industry leaders as both licensors and licensees, including ByteDance, Dolby, JVC Kenwood, Kuaishou, HFI (an affiliate of MediaTek), Mitsubishi, OPPO, Philips, Tencent, and other major technology companies. This broad participation spans the entire video ecosystem, from content platforms serving billions of users to semiconductor companies powering video devices worldwide.

Collaborative Framework Simplifies Licensing

"Participating in the VDP Pool underscores our ongoing commitment to open collaboration and equitable innovation," said Juan Qi, Chief IP Counsel of ByteDance "Together with industry participants, we aim to foster a healthy patent ecosystem that not only inspires creativity worldwide but also nurtures a sustainable video community for the future."

Yuan Lu, the CIPO at Kuaishou highlighted the pool's role in accelerating innovation: "Contributing our patents while gaining access to the broader ecosystem perfectly aligns with our vision: connecting hundreds of millions of users through livestreaming and short videos, empowering communities and businesses with cutting-edge technology and innovative products, and fueling high-quality digital-driven economic acceleration in China and beyond. This partnership enables us and others in the industry to focus on delivering even more engaging platforms for creators and their audiences."

OPPO, a global smart device brand with leading market share in the mobile device industry, praised how the pool helps to balance the interests between licensors and licensees: "We are pleased to be part of a collective effort that encourages transparency and balance in the patent licensing for video streaming industry. The VDP Pool demonstrates how collaborative licensing can support long-term growth for the ecosystem which is consistent with OPPO’s sustained IP strategy," said Vincent Lin, Head of Patent Licensing at OPPO.

"One License, Four Codecs" Supports Innovation

The VDP Pool's innovative licensing model covers standard essential patents for all four major video codecs currently used by video distribution providers: HEVC (H.265), VVC (H.266), VP9, and AV1. This comprehensive approach allows companies to add, drop, or switch codecs without licensing constraints or renegotiation, providing unprecedented flexibility in today's dynamic market.

MediaTek, a leading semiconductor company, emphasized the pool's importance for device manufacturers: "HFI joined VDP because it will promote the adoption of the latest and greatest codecs in the content portfolio and, in turn, drive innovation in the device ecosystem," said Steven Liu, Director, Legal & IP at MediaTek.

Dolby also expressed its strong support for the collaborative model. “As an innovator and collaborator in video technologies, we're pleased to contribute our patents to the VDP Pool," said Andy Sherman, Executive Vice President, Patent Licensing, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Dolby. "This licensing framework supports the industry and brings licensors and licensees together to ensure that innovation remains accessible to the video streaming industry while also fostering continued growth and development of next-generation video experiences."

Shu-Jia Mei, leader of patent licensing at Tencent emphasized the operational benefits: "The VDP Pool's one-stop licensing model promises increased certainty and efficiency for the video codec market. As both a licensor and licensee, we are committed to helping the industry foster a robust and sustainable video codec ecosystem, which empowers innovators to focus on creating advanced video technologies that meet the needs of users."

Proven Track Record Drives Confidence

The strong industry support builds on Access Advance's proven track record administering the licensing of over 30,000 patents in the HEVC Advance Patent Pool and the VVC Advance Patent Pool, which have gained support from a substantial majority of video codec implementers and patent owners globally.

"The rapid adoption by industry leaders validates our collaborative approach," said Peter Moller, CEO of Access Advance. "The VDP Pool successfully balances implementers' need for fair and balanced royalty rates, predictable costs and operational flexibility with patent owners' need for fair compensation to support continued investment in innovation. This broad group of licensors and licensees demonstrates that the industry recognizes the value of working together to create a fair and balanced program.”

With royalty rates now published and licensing agreements available, Access Advance expects continued rapid adoption as companies seek to simplify their patent licensing strategies. The collaborative framework established by the VDP Pool represents a new model for standards-essential patent licensing that prioritizes industry-wide innovation over individual patent monetization strategies.

About ByteDance: Founded in 2012, ByteDance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. Today, ByteDance continues to make it easy and fun for billions of people to connect, consume and create content through a suite of more than a dozen products, including TikTok, CapCut, TikTok Shop, Lark, PICO and MLBB, as well as those specific to the China market, including Toutiao, Douyin, Fanqie, Xigua, Feishu and Douyin E-commerce. ByteDance's investors include Coatue, General Atlantic, KKR, SIG, and Softbank.

About Dolby: Dolby Laboratories is a global leader in audio and video technologies, creating innovative solutions that enhance entertainment experiences across cinema, broadcast, mobile, and streaming platforms. The company has been pioneering audio-visual technologies for over 50 years, holding thousands of patents worldwide.

About Kuaishou: Kuaishou Technology operates China's second-largest short-video platform and a leading live-streaming service, connecting hundreds of millions of daily active users with content creators. Founded in 2011, Kuaishou has pioneered the integration of live-streaming with e-commerce and social commerce experiences.

About MediaTek: MediaTek is a global semiconductor company that designs and manufactures chips for wireless communications, smart TV, connectivity, and AIoT products. The company powers over 2 billion connected devices annually and is a leading provider of system-on-chip solutions for mobile devices, smart TVs, and connectivity platforms.

About OPPO: OPPO is a global smart device brand operating in over 60 countries and regions worldwide, providing smartphones, smart wearables, and other connected devices. Founded in 2004, OPPO focuses on innovative technology and design to deliver premium user experiences across its product portfolio.

About Tencent: Tencent Holdings Ltd. is a leading global technology company operating Tencent Video, China's premier streaming platform with over 120 million paid subscribers, and WeTV, its international streaming service. The company has established itself as a major innovator in video codec technology, serving hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

About Access Advance: Access Advance LLC is an independent licensing administrator company formed to lead the development, administration, and management of patent pools for licensing essential patents of the most important video codec technologies. Access Advance provides a transparent and efficient licensing mechanism for both patent owners and patent implementers.

Access Advance manages and administers the HEVC Advance Patent Pool for licensing over 25,500 patents essential to H.265/HEVC technology and the VVC Advance Patent Pool for licensing essential patents to VVC/H.266 technology. The company's Multi-Codec Bridging Agreement provides eligible licensees with a single discounted royalty rate structure for licensees participating in both the HEVC Advance and VVC Advance pools. In addition, Access Advance offers the VDP Pool, a comprehensive licensing solution for video streaming services covering HEVC, VVC, VP9, and AV1 codecs. For more information, please visit: www.accessadvance.com.

The VDP Pool has attracted an unprecedented list of industry leaders as both licensors and licensees, including ByteDance, Dolby, JVC Kenwood, Kuaishou, HFI (an affiliate of MediaTek), Mitsubishi, OPPO, Philips, Tencent, and other[s]

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