SENSIO Technologies Inc.announced that the European Patent Office has issued patent EP 2083574 relating to SENSIO® S2D Switch (“S2D Switch”) technology, which enables users to switch the viewing mode of a 3D video feed from 3D to 2D and vice versa. This European patent is the fourth to be granted related to S2D Switch technology which is also protected by issued patents in Japan, the United States and India. Patent applications related to S2D Switch technology have also been filed in Canada and China.
The patent rights associated with the S2D Switch technology are exclusively licensed to Wi-LAN Inc. (“WiLAN”) for the purpose of granting licenses to third-parties. In addition, as part of the patent collaboration between SENSIO and WiLAN announced on September 17, 2012, WiLAN assists SENSIO with the prosecution of patent applications associated with the S2D Switch technology in various patent jurisdictions around the world. The granting of this European Patent and the Japanese Patent announced on May 1, 2013 are the direct result of the collaborative work between SENSIO and WiLAN.
“Europe is a very large market for 3DTVs, and in our view, today’s announcement significantly increases the revenue potential of the S2D Switch program with existing and future licensees,” said Nicholas Routhier, President & CEO of SENSIO. “This is the first patent that we have obtained in Europe, another key territory in SENSIO’s IP strategy. This not only proves our commitment to obtaining global coverage for our intellectual property but also our ability to protect it in key regions of the world. WiLAN is an invaluable partner in these efforts and we are very pleased with the outcome of this second patent prosecution.”
In addition to the S2D Switch patent, the European Patent Office also issued to SENSIO on the same day patent EP 2211557 which relates to the SENSIO® Hi-Fi 3D format. This patent covers the use of complementary mosaics in merged frame formats as suggested by standards put forth by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).
“With this new patent, we reassert and further protect the ownership of our proprietary SENSIO® Hi-Fi 3D format in the European market,” said Mr. Routhier. “With claims that go beyond the SENSIO Hi-Fi 3D format, this patent further strengthens SENSIO’s IP portfolio in the field of 3D video compression, which opens up new monetization opportunities in the future.”
For further information on SENSIO and its technologies, visit http://www.sensio.tv
Source: Stereoscopy Newsletter