TiVo strikes European licensing deal with Fnac Darty
US technology company TiVo has signed a “multi-year” IP licensing deal with Fnac Darty, a European retailer of entertainment and leisure products, consumer electronics and household appliances.
The deal, announced yesterday, May 16, covers the consumer electronics brands of Fnac Darty, which is based in France and operates in 11 countries.
According to the TiVo announcement, the “multi-region” European IP licence enables Fnac Darty to enhance its own branded set-top box and TV products with TiVo’s patented technology.
Arvin Patel, executive vice president and chief IP officer, Rovi Corporation, a TiVo company, said the deal “is testament to our broad patent portfolios and innovations that are increasingly important to advanced search and discovery in the consumer electronics market”.
Earlier this year, WIPR interviewed Patel about licensing at TiVo, which has nine of the top ten pay-to-watch TV companies on its licensee list.
In the interview, Patel revealed that TiVo has more than 5,000 issued and pending patents, in addition to its 750 trademarks worldwide. This compares to the 3,000 patents owned by entertainment industry participants Dish and Comcast, and the nearly 18,000 owned by AT&T, which include many patents beyond media and entertainment.
In 2016, TiVo agreed to be acquired by Rovi for $1.1 billion.
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