Munich court rules Netflix infringing Broadcom video patent

Munich Court Rules Netflix Is Infringing Broadcom Video Patent; Imposes Injunction

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) announced today that the District Court of Munich, Germany, ruled that Netflix is infringing a Broadcom patent related to HEVC/H.265 video coding. The court issued an injunction requiring Netflix to cease and desist all further infringement in Germany.

Since 2018, Netflix and Broadcom have been engaged in a wide-ranging patent dispute whereby Broadcom has accused Netflix of infringing numerous U.S., German, and Dutch patents through its provision of its video streaming service. The European patent at issue in this ruling, EP 2 575 366 (“‘366 Patent”), covers key features of digital video processing often used in HEVC/H.265 video coding. The court, on September 19, 2023, ruled that Netflix is infringing the ‘366 Patent through its transmission of HEVC video, which Netflix employs to provide Ultra HD content to its users. The resulting court-ordered injunction prohibits Netflix from providing certain video streaming services utilizing Broadcom’s patented technology.

“Netflix has built a robust video streaming business that relies on Broadcom’s patented technology to deliver content to its users, and Broadcom is pleased to see this recognized by the German court,” said Mark Terrano, vice president and general manager of Broadcom’s Intellectual Property and Licensing Division.