DENVER--()--MPEG LA is pleased to announce that in a breach of contract action against Audiovox Electronic Corporation, now known as VOXX International (http://www.mpegla.com/Lists/MPEG%20LA%20Legal%20Action%20List/Attachments/193/n_07-12-20_pr.pdf), the court declared the clear language of the MPEG-2 Patent Portfolio License to require that the entity selling products to the end user, either directly or through a chain of distribution, was responsible for all royalties. Today, a jury found Audiovox in breach of the MPEG-2 License and awarded MPEG LA damages on a portion of Audiovox's unpaid sales; MPEG LA will pursue payment for the remainder.
MPEG LA, LLC
MPEG LA is the world leader in alternative technology licenses, enabling users to acquire worldwide patent rights necessary for a technology standard or platform from multiple patent owners in a single transaction as an alternative to negotiating individual licenses. Wherever an independently administered one-stop patent license would provide a convenient marketplace alternative to assist users with implementation of their technology choices, the licensing model pioneered and employed by MPEG LA may provide a solution. By balancing patent users’ interest in reasonable access with patent owners’ interest in reasonable return, MPEG LA creates the opportunity for adoption of new technologies and fuels innovation. MPEG LA’s initial licensing program for MPEG-2 digital video compression helped produce the most widely employed standard in consumer electronics history, and the MPEG LA® Licensing Model has become the template for addressing other technologies. Today MPEG LA manages licensing programs consisting of essential patents in 74 countries. For more information, please refer to http://www.mpegla.com.