"Tuesday December 12, 7:07 am Eastern Time
Press Release
ACTV Granted Two New Patents by the UK Patent Office
Issuance of Core Digital ITV Patents in Great Britain Strengthens Worldwide IP Portfolio
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2000--ACTV, Inc. (Nasdaq:IATV - news), a pioneer of interactive digital television (iTV) and enhanced media programming and services, today announced the UK Patent Office has granted the company two new patents covering more than 100 claims.
The UK Patent Office issued Patent No. GB2348346 and Patent No. GB2348587 on December 6, 2000. The patents, both titled, ``A Digital Interactive System for Providing Full Interactivity with Live Programming Events,'' cover specific, core technologies for digital interactive TV and enhanced programming delivered by transmission means such as cable, satellite and broadcast television, or programming stored on devices such as DVD or CD-ROM.
``These patents form a solid foundation on which we intend to build our business throughout Europe, especially in Great Britain, where digital TV has progressed rapidly,'' said Scott Doyle, ACTV's chief intellectual property officer. ``The new patents represent some of the core technological breakthroughs that are indicative of our company's long-standing vision and business plans in digital interactive TV and enhanced media. They will serve as important assets as we work with OpenTV -- our Digital ADCO International partner -- and others in our industry to advance the rollout of interactive TV in Europe and maximize the value of our IP.''
The new patents expand the breadth and scope of claims covered in UK Patent No. GB2338388, granted to ACTV in April 2000. This earlier issued patent covers technologies, systems and methods that are central to ACTV's proprietary One To One TV(SM) software and programming capabilities. The patent particularly covers the presentation of live events, such as a sporting event, that is personalized through the provision of various options, including multiple digital video streams, and integrated audio and/or graphic segments, and allows for switching among those signals.
Patent No. GB2348346, issued on December 6, 2000, expands the breadth and scope of the original patent to incorporate the ability of selecting a video/audio and/or graphics signal based on viewer profiles, a key component of One To One TV and ACTV's SpotOn(SM) iTV advertising service.
Patent No. GB2348587, also issued on December 6, further expands the breadth and scope of the original patent by providing for the ability to use Web addresses (such as Uniform Resource Locators), to automatically deliver enhanced programming content from online services like the Internet. This patent incorporates some of ACTV's enhanced media capabilities, such as those that are part of HyperTV®, into the interactive experiences made possible by One To One TV.
About ACTV, Inc.
ACTV, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: IATV - news) patented enhanced media technologies are incorporated into the company's Enhanced Media Services, Inc. subsidiary. The enhanced media technologies are marketed under the brand names HyperTV® (http://www.hypertv.com) and Bottle Rocket® (http://www.bottlerocket.com), among other products and services. ACTV also created interactive, one-to-one digital television with its proprietary One To One TV(SM) software and programming capabilities. SpotOn(SM), the advertising application of One To One TV, is a service of ACTV subsidiary Digital ADCO, Inc (http://www.spoton.tv).
ACTV has developed an extensive patent portfolio that broadly covers the core methodologies for enhancing television, radio and other audio visual programming with an array of synchronous and non-synchronous Internet-based functions, and for the creation and delivery of interactive, one-to-one digital television.
Based in New York City, ACTV has key strategic relationships with many of the dominant players in the Internet, television and digital technology fields, including Liberty Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq: LDIG - news), Motorola (NYSE: MOT - news) Broadband Communications Sector, OpenTV (Nasdaq and AEX: OPTV), and Liberty Livewire Corporation (Nasdaq: LWIRA - news). For more information, visit actv.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance, changes in technology, economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing, government regulation, and other risks defined in this document and in statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the company, are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. In addition, the company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
ACTV Media Relations:
Bratskeir & Company
Mike Rosen, 212/679-2233, ext. 213
mrosen@bratskeir.com
- or -
Financial Media:
Brainerd Communicators
Kim Holt, 212/986-6667
holt@braincomm.com
- or -
ACTV, Inc.
Ted O'Donnell/Bill Roll
212/217-1600
ir@actv.com"
biz.yahoo.com |
