OpenTV, an interactive television company, announced today that
the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted it a key patent
covering the delivery of internet content over cable and satellite
networks to set-top boxes.
The patent describes a system and method to effectively deliver
content and services between a cable or satellite network and an
external network such as the internet. According to OpenTV, this
"on-the-fly" translation and routing process allows content written
in internet formats to be delivered efficiently to set-top boxes in
a transparent and seamless manner.
Vincent Dureau, OpenTV's Chief Technology Officer, commented on
the company’s focus on its intellectual property. He said:
"We have an extensive and very early
portfolio of issued patents and claims that cover a broad range of
techniques to deliver interactive services over television
networks."
OpenTV’s technology is deployed in more than 20 million digital
set-top boxes worldwide and 36 digital set-top box manufacturers
have licensed OpenTV's software.
