- Twenty-Eight (28) Patent Owners Became Licensors 

Access Advance today announced that twenty-eight (28) companies, which together 
are estimated to account for a substantial percentage of the expected VVC 
standard essential patent ("SEP") landscape, have joined as Licensors of the 
VVC Advance Patent Pool. VVC ("Versatile Video Coding") is the next generation 
video codec standard finalized less than eighteen (18) months ago, which 
provides significant improvements in video compression of up to 50% over HEVC, 
enabling a new generation of products, ever more beautiful video, faster 
downloads, lower latency, and improved savings on storage.

The list of VVC Advance Licensors includes the following:

     -- Alibaba Singapore Holding Private Limited 
     -- ARRIS Enterprises LLC, a CommScope Company 
     -- B1 Institute of Image Technology, INC. 
     -- Company to be disclosed at a later date 
     -- Dolby Laboratories, Inc. 
     -- Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute 
     -- GE Video Compression, LLC 
     -- Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 
     -- HFI Innovation Inc. 
     -- IDEAHUB Inc. 
     -- Industry-Academy Cooperation Foundation of Sejong University 
     -- Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd. 
     -- IUCF-HYU (Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang 
        University) 
     -- JVCKENWOOD Corporation 
     -- KDDI Corporation 
     -- Koninklijke Philips N.V. 
     -- Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology 
     -- Korean Broadcasting System 
     -- Kuaishou Technology 
     -- Kwangwoon University, Industry-Academic Collaboration Foundation 
     -- Mitsubishi Electric Corporation 
     -- OP Solutions, LLC 
     -- Panasonic Corporation 
     -- SK Telecom Co., Ltd. 
     -- Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) Research & Business Foundation 
     -- Toshiba Corporation 
     -- University-Industry Cooperation Group of Kyung Hee University 
     -- XRIS Corporation

"This is a tremendous endorsement of the VVC Advance Patent Pool and our Video 
Codec Platform Initiative, and we thank each of the patent owners that have 
placed their trust in Access Advance to license their VVC SEP patent assets," 
stated Pete Moller, CEO of Access Advance.  "Launching a patent pool for a 
ground-breaking technology like VVC is a long and multi-stage process.  We 
worked with over fifty (50) patent owners for well over 18 months to establish 
the structure of the program and launched the VVC Advance Patent Pool on 
schedule July 1, 2021.  We are excited that a significant majority of these 
patent owners have now officially joined the program as Licensors. These 
Licensors provide a critical mass of VVC SEPs, and an important assurance to 
the market that VVC Advance, just like HEVC Advance, will provide long-term 
value through a balanced and successful program."

"We look forward to working with the remaining patent owners who are still 
going through their decision-making process and expect that many of them will 
make the decision to join VVC Advance over the next six (6) months," continued 
Mr. Moller.  "There are significant incentives for patent owners and patent 
implementers who join the program by June 30, 2022. These include bonus patent 
points for Licensors, and very significant early signing cap incentives for 
Licensees."

The VVC Advance Patent Pool is part of the Access Advance Video Codec Platform 
Initiative that seamlessly incorporates HEVC and VVC technologies into a single 
discounted royalty rate structure with simplified reporting and payment 
obligations for Licensees whose products include both codecs. This innovation 
responds to the market's desire for an even more efficient next-generation pool 
licensing structure.  Licensees that have executed both the HEVC Advance 
Platform Patent Portfolio License ("PPL") and the VVC Advance Platform PPL have 
the option to enjoy additional benefits via execution of the new Multi-Codec 
Bridging Agreement ("MCBA"). The MCBA is not a third license; rather, it is an 
administrative agreement that bridges the HEVC Advance License and the VVC 
Advance License for implementers who have executed both licenses and the MCBA 
itself. Those Licensees will enjoy a discounted royalty rate for each of the 
HEVC and VVC codecs in their multi-codec products that are sold after MCBA 
execution, that results in the same royalty rate as they would pay for a 
product that includes only VVC. 

Royalty payments under the VVC Advance Platform PPL are required for sales of 
VVC products starting January 1, 2022.  Access Advance encourages interested 
parties to act quickly to take advantage of the incentives and discounted MCBA 
rates as discussed above.

About Access Advance:

Access Advance LLC (formerly HEVC Advance LLC) is an independent licensing 
administrator company formed to lead the development, administration, and 
management of patent pools for licensing essential patents of the most 
important standards-based video codec technologies. Access Advance provides a 
transparent and efficient licensing mechanism for both patent owners and patent 
implementers. Access Advance currently manages and administers the HEVC Advance 
Patent Pool for licensing patents essential to H.265/HEVC technology, and the 
separate and independent VVC Advance Patent Pool for licensing essential 
patents to VVC/H.266 technology.  For more information, please visit 
www.accessadvance.com.

Contact: press@accessadvance.com


SOURCE  Access Advance