Sonic Solutions Patent Essential For HD DVD Content

Sonic Solutions has announced one of its US Patents has been deemed essential to the HD DVD specification for HD DVD players and optical media for the purpose of participating in a joint HD DVD Patent Portfolio License being facilitated by MPEG LA.
As previously announced, the Sonic ‘621 patent was also deemed essential to the Blu-ray Disc specification for BD players and optical media.
The Sonic technology covered in the patent - one of several the company has related to new high-definition formats - allows for updating or augmenting multimedia content on portable storage media including CD, DVD, UMD, flash memory, HD DVD, and Blu-ray Disc.
In addition to Sonic’s intention to participate in the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD Patent Portfolio Licenses, the company will continue to license the ‘621 patent directly to content owners, online service providers, software developers, game console manufacturers, consumer electronics companies, in-game advertisers, and other industry partners developing online services and non-high definition applications.
Sonic's dynamic content revision technology enables publishers of content on any portable storage media to update or augment that content over the Web or through a local cache. Movie studios, for example, can replace trailers or change menu selections, and game console software makers can deliver in-game advertisements over the internet, providing a very cost-effective way to keep content "fresh" and deliver ongoing value-added promotions and e-commerce offerings to form a more direct relationship with the entertainment viewer.
The same technology is already widely-licensed by major Hollywood studios today for use on standard-definition DVD releases of InterActual-enabled titles such as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Star Wars Trilogy.
"The inclusion of Sonic in the formation of the HD DVD Patent Portfolio License underscores our technology depth and our continued investment in the success of new digital-media formats," said Dave Habiger, President and CEO, Sonic Solutions. "From patented technologies for high definition to our innovative Sonic DVD On Demand platform that creates new models for the electronic sell-through of video entertainment, Sonic and our world-class research and development team continues to shape and enhance consumers’ digital media experiences and generate significant growth opportunities for our company."
(SP)