M7 Group, the operators of DTH platforms including the Dutch CanalDigitaal and Czech CS Link, has signed up to a multi-year agreement with Rovi on a series of EPG patents.
The news was released hours before the High Court in London rejected an appeal by Rovi relating to three patents likely to have been included in the package.
“The addition of M7 to our roster of European licensees underscores the importance of the guide in bringing an advanced digital home entertainment experience to viewers,” said Samir Armaly, senior vice president of intellectual property and licensing, Rovi. “Our announcement today with M7 shows the continued expansion of our patent licensing program on a global basis.”
M7 joins Rovi’s existing list of licensed operators in Europe that include KDG, Canal+, BSkyB, Portugal Telecom, SKY Italia, Sky Deutschland, Unitymedia and UPC Broadband.
In the past Rovi has pursued operators it believes to be in breach of its patents in the courts.
