DVB fosters licensing programme for CPCM technology

Meeting Of CPCM Patent Holders To Be Held On 12 March In Budapest

GENEVA — The DVB Project has announced that it is fostering the formation of a licensing programme covering patents essential to its Content Protection, Copy Management technology (CPCM). The next meeting of holders of CPCM technology is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, 12 March, in Budapest. The Budapest meeting is open to anyone that has a good faith belief that it holds patents essential to the CPCM specification and is willing to consider licensing these patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The CPCM technical specification was recently finalised and approved by the DVB Steering Board for formal standardisation by ETSI.

An initial meeting of holders was held in Geneva in mid-December. Some 12 companies participated and agreed to have a further meeting to discuss steps that could lead to the formation of a CPCM licensing programme. As part of its effort to foster patent pools covering its specifications, DVB is convening the Budapest meeting of CPCM holders. It is expected however that the patent holders will shortly select a commercial facilitator to take forward the pooling effort.

Participation in any licensing programme that develops from this process will be voluntary and non-exclusive.

DVB-CPCM

DVB-CPCM is a system for Content Protection and Copy Management of commercial digital content delivered to consumer products. CPCM manages content usage from acquisition into the CPCM system until final consumption, or export from the CPCM system, in accordance with the particular usage rules of that content. Possible sources for commercial digital content include broadcast (e.g., DVB Fosters Licensing Programme For CPCM Technology (cable, satellite, and terrestrial), internet-based services, packaged media, and mobile services, amongst others. CPCM is intended for use in protecting all types of content – audio, video and associated applications and data. CPCM provides specifications to facilitate interoperability of such content by networked consumer devices for both home networking and remote access.

The specification has been finalised and approved by the DVB Steering Board and has been forwarded for formal standardisation by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).