Acacia Technologies Files Cable and Satellite TV Patent Infringement Lawsuit
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Tue Jun 15 09:30:00 2004 EST
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jun 15, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Acacia
Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG) (Nasdaq:CBMX) announced today that
its Acacia Media Technologies Corporation subsidiary has filed a
Complaint in the District Court for the Northern District of
California alleging infringement of Acacia's DMT patents against 9
cable and satellite companies. Companies named as defendants in the
lawsuit include Comcast Corporation, Charter Communications, Inc., The
DirectTV Group, Inc., Echostar Communications Corporation, Boulder
Ridge Cable TV, Central Valley Cable TV, LLC, Seren Innovations, Inc.,
Cox Communications, Inc., and Hospitality Network, Inc. (a wholly
owned subsidiary of Cox that supplies hotel in-room entertainment).
Last week, Acacia announced the settlement of a patent
infringement lawsuit brought by Acacia and licensed On Command
Corporation, which, together with LodgeNet Corporation, another Acacia
licensee, are the dominant providers of in-room digital content to the
lodging industry via systems similar to those utilized by cable and
satellite companies.
Acacia's DMT patents cover the transmission and receipt of digital
content via the Internet, cable, satellite, and other means, and as
the Complaint alleges, apply to a variety of programming and
activities engaged in by cable and satellite companies including
certain basic programming, pay per view, video on demand, and digital
ad insertion. Acacia intends to continue its licensing discussions
with cable and satellite companies and has the option of adding
additional companies to the lawsuit in the future.
The lawsuit is separate from the patent infringement actions
currently pending in the District Court for the Central District of
California against certain Adult Entertainment Companies that transmit
digital content via the Internet.
Acacia has entered into 123 license agreements for its DMT
technology with companies engaged in hotel in-room entertainment,
e-learning, online music, movie, sports, news, information, adult
entertainment, and corporate advertising and promotion activities.
Acacia's DMT licensees include Capella Education, CinemaNow, General
Dynamics Interactive, Grupo Pegaso, LodgeNet, New England College of
Finance, NXTV, On Command, Oral Roberts University, 24/7 University,
T. Rowe Price, Virgin Radio and the Walt Disney Company |
