TV & Set-Top Boxes
Our extensive TV & STB patent portfolio
The Philips TV & STB (Set-Top Box) patent licensing program grants companies access to a broad range of technologies used in today’s television receivers and TV display devices such as TVs, media-receivers, and cable, satellite, terrestrial or IP set-top boxes. The Philips TV & STB patent portfolio comprises around 120 patent families, but does not include patents for technologies that are covered by specific standards*. This portfolio mostly consists of non-standard-essential patents which are granted in the main countries in Europe, Asia and the USA. The TV & STB patent licensing program was introduced in 2008 and since then most top brands worldwide have been licensed under the Philips TV/STB patents.
TV & Set-Top Boxes
Our extensive TV & STB patent portfolio
The Philips TV & STB (Set-Top Box) patent licensing program grants companies access to a broad range of technologies used in today’s television receivers and TV display devices such as TVs, media-receivers, and cable, satellite, terrestrial or IP set-top boxes. The Philips TV & STB patent portfolio comprises around 120 patent families, but does not include patents for technologies that are covered by specific standards*. This portfolio mostly consists of non-standard-essential patents which are granted in the main countries in Europe, Asia and the USA. The TV & STB patent licensing program was introduced in 2008 and since then most top brands worldwide have been licensed under the Philips TV/STB patents.
Companies that wish to use these technologies for their TVs and STBs can obtain a patent license from Philips under the patents in the TV & STB portfolio.
*Excluded standards are: AVC, MVC, HEVC, VC-1, MP3, AAC, MPEG surround,HDMI, IEEE 1394, MPEG2/4-system layer, ATSC 3, GSM, UMTS/LTE, WiFi 6, SL-HDR.
A patent license for these technologies is available through license pools or through other Philips license programs. For questions please contact us.
Technologies
The technologies licensed in this program are:
If you have questions about license coverage, please contact us.
Royalties
Philips offers several license options under the TV & STB patent licensing program:
A. Portfolio license with different royalty rates applicable to specific product categories such as: Basic SD/HD TV or STB, Smart SD/HD TV or STB, 4k UHD Smart TV or STB, and 4k UHD LED TV. The royalty rate for each product category covers several licensed out technologies (blended rate) and can be reviewed in Annex C of the template agreement (downloadable through the link below).
| | Standard Rate |
| Basic TV | € 0.15 |
| Smart TV | € 0.35 |
| 4k UHD Smart TV | € 0.95 |
| 4k UHD OLED TV | € 1.30 |
B. A license for individual technology clusters only. This limited patent license incorporates a technology-by-product royalty calculation based on the specific technology/function(s) applied in the product. Each technology/function has a corresponding royalty rate (see table below). The total royalty for each product is the sum of the royalties for the technologies as used in the country of manufacture or sale. This license may require discussion with your Philips contact for each new or revised product. As an example, you find the template patent license agreement for the HDCP 2 technology through the link below.
The Standard Rates for specific technologies/functions in a limited patent license are listed in the table below.
C. Separate licenses for Standard Essential Patents (SEP), and non-SEP are available on request.
Each license option defines a Standard Rate and a Compliance Rate. The Compliance Rate is only applicable in case of timely payment of royalties each calendar quarter and full compliance with the terms of the underlying license agreement, otherwise the Standard Rate will apply.
Royalties for licenses under the TV/STB program are in Euro and the rates can differ per territory. As a licensee you will have to report quarterly the volume of the licensed products sold. The royalty due is the volume multiplied by the applicable royalty per unit.
| Limited License Technology Clusters | Standard rate |
| Audio/ Video reception | € 0.10 |
| Content Protection | € 0.08 |
| High Dynamic Range Video | € 0.85 |
| Interactivity & User Interface | € 0.15 |
| TV Display technology | € 0.30 |
| TV/STB general | € 0.10 |
| WiFi 802.11 n , ac | € 0.15 |
All royalty rates on this website are offered as group rates for a plurality of patents. The royalty rate for any individual patent in a portfolio or cluster would not receive the benefit of the group rate. Accordingly, group rates are not appropriate for the basis of apportioning a value to any individual patent in a portfolio or cluster. The offered rates are provided without the need of litigation and have not been determined based on the conditions of a “Hypothetical Negotiation.”
Becoming a Licensee
If one of the technologies listed above is used in your products, as a manufacturer or brand owner of TVs and/or STBs, you should expect to need a patent license from Philips for legitimate use of our patented technologies. Philips IP specialists operate globally and can work with you to clarify the technical scope of the patents, present claim-charts and discuss business arrangements.
We'll work with you to find the best solution for your business:
1. Get in touch with a licensing specialist
You'll receive a person contact person who'll explain the program in detail and answer any questions you might have.
2. Portfolio analysis
Evaluate the relevance of the patent portfolio, based on our information and the knowledge of your products.
3. Conclude a license agreement
Identify which license agreement best fits your business needs. Where needed, we'll clarify and discuss the terms and conditions of the license agreement.
FAQ
- How is past use taken into account?
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Past Use is calculated based on the volumes sold before you have entered into a TV/STB license agreement and is payable in a lump-sum.
- What is a blended rate?
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A blended rate is a flat rate for all products of a product-category and technologies/functions offered for this product category. It provides for easy reporting without the need to supply detailed information about products sold.
- Which companies are already licensed?
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Philips has licensed its TV& STB patent portfolio to many TV and STB manufactures, including all the top brands worldwide.
Downloads
Template TV patent license agreement with blended rate in Euro (can be provided upon request by email)
