[M4IF Technotes] RE: [M4IF News] Press Release Licensing Additional Visual Profiles

Manish Singhal manish.singhal ittiam.com
Thu Nov 15 12:43:23 EST 2001


Rob
So, what does the following announcement mean :
> > > People,
> > > 
> > > The following release marks the start of a process that will 
> > > enable joint licensing of essential patents in 3 more MPEG-4 
> > > Visual Profiles:
> > >  * Simple Scalable
> > >  * Advanced Simple
> > >  * Fine Granular Scalability (FGS)

Does it just means that the licencing process has started ? I am a
little rusty now how MP4IF charter is linked with the above process.
Please do let me know your thoughts.
Rgds
Manish
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Koenen [mailto:rkoenen   intertrust.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2023 11:17 AM
> To: Manish Singhal; Rob Koenen
> Cc: technotes   lists.m4if.org
> Subject: [M4IF Technotes] RE: [M4IF News] Press Release Licensing
> Additional Visual Profiles
> 
> 
> Manish,
> 
> It is extremely important that people on this list understand the
> respective responsibilities of the various parties involved.
> 
> The following announcement has nothing to do with MPEG, nor with ISO.
> Dealing with patents and licenses is also out of M4IF's mandate and 
> charter. Hence, it does not imply anything with respect to 
> conformance 
> bitstreams - these belong to the conformance part of the standard. I 
> assume there is someone on this list that knows about the state of 
> FGS and AS conformance streams, so please let them speak up.
> 
> > - Suppose one buys any particular version of the standard, 
> let us say
> > MPEG-4 Visual Version 2. Then it is upgraded to include FGS 
> etc, then
> > one has to again pay ~250 CHF to get that extension ?  
> Shouldn't there
> > be an upgrade only pricing ?
> 
> Only ISO can talk about ISO pricing policy, not M4IF. Please 
> direct this
> question at sales   iso.ch 
> I can voice my opinions about what should and should not be 
> the pricing
> of updates, but in this case my opinion doesn't matter much. 
> As far as I 
> am concerned all MPEG standards could be free, but that would be a 
> significant blow to the infrastructure that publishes the 
> standards. 250 
> CHF (150 USD) is not much for all the work that went into that spec.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> Rob Koenen
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Manish Singhal [mailto:manish.singhal   ittiam.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2023 20:27
> > To: Rob Koenen
> > Cc: technotes   lists.m4if.org
> > Subject: RE: [M4IF News] Press Release Licensing Additional Visual
> > Profiles
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Rob
> > 
> > Couple of questions:
> > - Suppose one buys any particular version of the standard, 
> let us say
> > MPEG-4 Visual Version 2. Then it is upgraded to include FGS 
> etc, then
> > one has to again pay ~250 CHF to get that extension ?  
> Shouldn't there
> > be an upgrade only pricing ?
> > 
> > - Does the following announcement mean that the standard as 
> > well as the
> > conformance bitstreams are available to be purchased ?
> > 
> > Rgds
> > Manish Singhal
> > Manager, Video & Imaging
> > Ittiam Systems
> > Bangalore, India.
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rob Koenen [mailto:rkoenen   intertrust.com]
> > > Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2023 5:44 AM
> > > To: M4IF news (E-mail); M4IF Patent WGs (E-mail); Open 
> DTV (E-mail);
> > > MPEG General (E-mail)
> > > Cc: Larry Horn (E-mail); Kenneth Rubenstein (E-mail)
> > > Subject: [M4IF News] Press Release Licensing Additional 
> > > Visual Profiles
> > > 
> > > 
> > > People,
> > > 
> > > The following release marks the start of a process that will 
> > > enable joint licensing of essential patents in 3 more MPEG-4 
> > > Visual Profiles:
> > >  * Simple Scalable
> > >  * Advanced Simple
> > >  * Fine Granular Scalability (FGS)
> > > 
> > > This is in addition to the following Profiles, for which 
> > licensing is 
> > > slated to start in 2 months:
> > >  * Simple
> > >  * Core
> > > 
> > > - Advanced Simple, a superset of Simple, has the latest coding 
> > >   effiency tools in MPEG-4, and supports rectangular 
> video objects.
> > > - Simple Scalable and FGS are scalable extensions of Simple 
> > >   (Simple is the base layer). 
> > >   FGS can also be used with Advanced Simple as a base layer.
> > > - Core is a superset of Simple, adding B frames ('B-VOPs') and 
> > >   arbitrary-shape objects.
> > > 
> > > This is an important milestone towards further deployment 
> of MPEG-4 
> > > technology.
> > > 
> > > Kind Regards,
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Rob Koenen (President M4IF)
> > > (I apologize for duplicate mails through multiiple reflectors)
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > > --------------
> > > -
> > > For Immediate Release					
> > > 
> > > CONTACT:
> > > Lawrence Horn, MPEG LA, LLC
> > > 301.986.6660 
> > > 301.986.8575 Fax
> > > lhorn   mpegla.com
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > MPEG LA® Announces M4IF Plan for Joint Licensing of Essential 
> > > MPEG-4 Patents
> > > 
> > > (Denver, Colorado, US-14 November 2001) - The MPEG-4 Industry 
> > > Forum (M4IF)
> > > has recommended that MPEG LA, LLC make the following 
> > > worldwide announcement:
> > > 
> > > In furtherance of its plan aimed at providing fair, reasonable,
> > > nondiscriminatory worldwide access under one license to 
> > > patents that are
> > > essential for implementing the international MPEG-4 Visual 
> > > Standard, the
> > > MPEG-4 Industry Forum (M4IF) has recommended that MPEG LA, 
> > > LLC, in its role
> > > as Evaluation Administrator, call for the submission of 
> patents for
> > > evaluation of their essentiality to additional MPEG-4 
> > Visual Standard
> > > profiles, specifically Simple Scalable, Advanced Simple, and Fine
> > > Granularity Scalable.
> > > 
> > > The Simple Scalable profile is generally described in ISO/IEC
> > > 14496-2:1999/AMD.1:2000(E) Tables 9-1 and 9-2 (pages 322 and 
> > > 324).  The
> > > Advanced Simple and Fine Granularity Scalable profiles 
> are generally
> > > described in ISO/IEC 14496-2:2001/AMD.2(E) Tables AMD2-13 and 
> > > AMD2-14. These
> > > latter tables can be found in the ISO document N3904, also 
> > > styled "ISO/IEC
> > > 14496-1:2001/FDAM2" (pages 32-33).
> > > Following is a summary of the approved plan:
> > > 
> > > 1. Objective
> > > 
> > > To establish a portfolio of essential worldwide patents that 
> > > are necessary
> > > for implementation of the MPEG-4 Visual (Simple Scalable, 
> > > Advanced Simple,
> > > and Fine Grain Scalability) standard in order to provide all 
> > > MPEG-4 Visual
> > > users with fair, reasonable, nondiscriminatory access to this 
> > > technology
> > > under one license.
> > > 
> > > 2. Licensed patents
> > > 
> > > Essential patents will consist of those that are necessary 
> > > for the Simple
> > > Scalable (ISO/IEC 14496-2:1999/AMD.1:2000(E) Tables 9-1 and 
> > > 9-2 [pages 322
> > > and 324]), Advanced Simple and Fine Granularity Scalable (ISO/IEC
> > > 14496-2:2001/AMD.2(E) Tables AMD2-13 and AMD2-14, which can 
> > > be found in the
> > > ISO document N3904, also styled "ISO/IEC 14496-1:2001/FDAM2" 
> > > [pages 32-33])
> > > profiles of the MPEG-4 Visual Standard. 
> > > 
> > > 3. Organization
> > > 
> > > The joint patent portfolio license may require at least three 
> > > functions:
> > > 
> > > First, an Administrative Committee consisting of 
> > > representatives of the
> > > essential patent owners will meet to consider licensing terms 
> > > and conditions
> > > and monitor certain activities of a Licensing Administrator.  
> > > 
> > > Second, the Licensing Administrator, who is granted non-exclusive
> > > sublicensing rights from patent owners under licensed 
> > > patents, actively
> > > promotes the licensing program and distributes collected 
> > > royalties to the
> > > patent owners.  The Licensing Administrator will be chosen by 
> > > the initial
> > > group of patent holders comprising the Administrative Committee.
> > > 
> > > Third, an Evaluator who is a neutral, third party patent 
> expert will
> > > evaluate patents for essentiality to the Simple Scalable (ISO/IEC
> > > 14496-2:1999/AMD.1:2000(E) Tables 9-1 and 9-2 [pages 322 and 
> > > 324]), Advanced
> > > Simple and Fine Granularity Scalable (ISO/IEC 
> > > 14496-2:2001/AMD.2(E) Tables
> > > AMD2-13 and AMD2-14, which can be found in the ISO document 
> > > N3904, also
> > > styled "ISO/IEC 14496-1:2001/FDAM2" [pages 32-33]) profiles 
> > > of the MPEG-4
> > > Visual Standard.  Any party that believes it has essential 
> > patents is
> > > invited to submit them for evaluation and inclusion.  For 
> > each patent
> > > submitted, an evaluation fee of US $8,500.00 will be paid to 
> > > MPEG LA, LLC
> > > (as below) to cover costs of the patent expert's evaluation.
> > > 
> > > Members of the Administrative Committee will be determined by 
> > > the results of
> > > the patent essentiality evaluation. 
> > > 
> > > 4. Licensing details
> > > 
> > > To be determined by the Administrative Committee consisting of
> > > representatives of the essential patent owners.
> > > 5. Extension of the scope of the licensed patents
> > > 
> > > On M4IF's recommendation and request, MPEG LA® earlier 
> > called for the
> > > submission of patents for an evaluation of their 
> essentiality to the
> > > normative part of the Simple and Core profiles of the MPEG-4 
> > > Visual Standard
> > > by an independent patent expert, and is currently 
> > > facilitating the efforts
> > > of essential patent owners to develop a joint license 
> > providing fair,
> > > reasonable, nondiscriminatory access to their essential 
> intellectual
> > > property.
> > > 
> > > 6. Schedule (Initial Plan)
> > > 
> > > Initial patent submissions:  by March 1, 2024 (although 
> > > patent submissions
> > > may continue to be submitted after that date, owners of 
> > > essential patents in
> > > the initial group of patents submitted by the March 1 date 
> > > will form the
> > > initial group of Licensors and Administrative Committee that 
> > > will select a
> > > Licensing Administrator and determine the terms of license).
> > > 
> > > Evaluation:  March - June 2002
> > > 
> > > Upon the above consensus, M4IF recommended that MPEG LA® make 
> > > this worldwide
> > > announcement.
> > > 
> > > Accordingly, MPEG LA® hereby announces that any company which 
> > > believes it
> > > has patents that are essential to the Simple Scalable, 
> > > Advanced Simple and
> > > Fine Granularity Scalable profiles of the MPEG-4 Visual 
> Standard (as
> > > described above) and wishes to join the patent pool upon 
> successful
> > > evaluation is invited to submit such patents to the Evaluator 
> > > (identified
> > > below) by March 1, 2002, together with a statement confirming 
> > > its agreement
> > > with the objectives and intention to abide by terms and 
> > > procedures governing
> > > the patent submission process. Terms and procedures 
> governing patent
> > > submissions may be obtained from Lawrence A. Horn, Vice 
> > > President, Licensing
> > > and Business Development, MPEG LA, LLC (lhorn   mpegla.com, phone
> > > 1-301-986-6660, fax 1-301-986-8575).
> > > 
> > > Evaluator:
> > > 
> > > Dr. Kenneth Rubenstein
> > > PROSKAUER ROSE LLP
> > > 1585 Broadway
> > > New York, NY10036-8299
> > > Tel. 212-969-3000
> > > Fax. 212-969-2900
> > > krubenstein   proskauer.com <mailto:krubenstein   proskauer.com> 
> > > 
> > > #   #   #
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Overview of the MPEG-4 Standard
> > > 
> > > MPEG-4 is an ISO/IEC multi-media representation standard 
> > > developed by its
> > > Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG).  MPEG also developed 
> > > MPEG-1, which
> > > makes possible interactive video on CD-ROM and is present on 
> > > virtually every
> > > personal computer, and MPEG-2, the core compression 
> > > technology underlying
> > > the efficient transmission, storage and display of digitized 
> > > moving images
> > > and sound tracks on which high definition television (HDTV), 
> > > Digital Video
> > > Broadcasting (DVB), direct broadcast by satellite (DBS), 
> > digital cable
> > > television systems, multichannel-multipoint distribution 
> > > services (MMDS),
> > > personal computer video, digital versatile discs (DVD), 
> > > interactive media
> > > and other forms of digital video delivery, storage, transport 
> > > and display
> > > are based.  
> > > 
> > > MPEG-4 is the result of yet another international effort 
> > > involving hundreds
> > > of researchers and engineers from all over the world.  
> > Building on the
> > > successes of MPEG's earlier standards, MPEG-4 enables 
> > > integration of the
> > > production, distribution and content access features of 
> > > digital television,
> > > interactive graphics applications and interactive multimedia 
> > > across internet
> > > protocol, wireless, low bitrate, broadcast, satellite, cable 
> > > and mobile
> > > environments.  With MPEG-4, all content elements can be 
> > maintained as
> > > discrete objects enabling richer interactivity and use across 
> > > many different
> > > devices   More information about MPEG-4 can be found at 
> > > MPEG's home page
> > > <http://mpeg.telecomitalialab.com> and at the home page of 
> > the MPEG-4
> > > Industry Forum <http://www.m4if.org/>. 
> > > 
> > > MPEG-4 Industry Forum (M4IF)
> > > 
> > > While M4IF recommended that MPEG LA® take the steps as 
> > > described in this
> > > release, all steps described herein are carried out outside and
> > > independently of M4IF.  M4IF encourages all and any steps 
> > > that will lead to
> > > easy access to reasonable and non-discriminatory licenses 
> > for patents
> > > essential to the MPEG-4 Standard.
> > > 
> > > The M4IF was organized on May 29, 2024 as a not-for-profit 
> > > corporation "To
> > > further the adoption and widespread use of the MPEG-4 Standard, by
> > > establishing MPEG-4 as an accepted standard among application 
> > > developers,
> > > service providers, content creators and end users." Based in 
> > > Switzerland,
> > > M4IF is open to all parties that support this goal and pay 
> > the yearly
> > > membership fee of (US) $3,000.  M4IF carries on activities 
> > outside of
> > > ISO/IEC's scope, such as:
> > > 
> > > *	Promoting the MPEG-4 Standard, and serving as a single point of
> > > information on MPEG-4 technology, products and services;
> > > *	Initiating discussions leading to the potential establishment of
> > > patent portfolios outside of M4IF in order to grant 
> licenses to all
> > > applicants throughout the world under reasonable terms and 
> > > conditions that
> > > are demonstrably free of any unfair competition;
> > > *	Organization of MPEG-4 exhibitions and tutorials;
> > > *	Carrying out interoperability tests. 
> > > 
> > > Since its official establishment, over 100 companies have 
> > > joined the Forum.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > MPEG LA, LLC
> > > 
> > > MPEG LA* successfully pioneered one-stop technology standards 
> > > licensing,
> > > starting with a portfolio of essential patents for the 
> > > international digital
> > > video compression standard known as MPEG-2, which it began 
> > > licensing in
> > > 1997.  One-stop technology standards licensing enables widespread
> > > technological implementation, interoperability and use of 
> > fundamental
> > > broad-based technologies covered by many patents owned by 
> > > many different
> > > patent holders.  MPEG LA* provides users with fair, reasonable,
> > > nondiscriminatory access to these essential patents on a 
> > > worldwide basis
> > > under a single license.  The MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio 
> License now has
> > > approximately 350 licensees and includes almost 400 MPEG-2 
> > > essential patents
> > > owned by 19 patent holders.  As the legal and business 
> > > template for one-stop
> > > technology standards licensing, MPEG LA* also provides an 
> > > innovative way to
> > > achieve fair, reasonable, nondiscriminatory access to patent 
> > > rights for
> > > other technology standards - the high-speed transfer digital 
> > > interconnect
> > > standard known as IEEE 1394 and the terrestrial digital 
> > > television standard
> > > used in Europe and Asia known as DVB-T.  In addition, MPEG 
> > > LA® has been
> > > asked to facilitate the development of joint licenses for 
> > > MPEG-4 and other
> > > emerging technologies.  The company is based in Denver, CO 
> > > and has offices
> > > in Chevy Chase, MD (Washington DC metropolitan area), the 
> > greater San
> > > Francisco area and London, England.  For more information, 
> > > please refer to
> > > <http://www.mpegla.com/>, <http://www.1394la.com/> and
> > > <http://www.dvbla.com>.
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > News mailing list
> > > News   lists.m4if.org
> > > http://lists.m4if.org/mailman/listinfo/news
> > > 
> > 
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