Toshiba to act as licensor for the BD4C Licensing Group

[bluflu]

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu...se-group-18677

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment March 8 said it is part of a new global Blu-ray Disc joint patent licensing program for manufacturers of Blu-ray players and Blu-ray/DVD hybrid discs, among other related products.

Dubbed the BD4C Licensing Group, the consortium includes Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Thomson Licensing and Toshiba Corp.

BD4C is intended to be a one-stop (and presumably cheaper) shop for the patents owned or controlled by the four companies that comply with specifications promulgated by the Blu-ray Disc Association.

License royalties under the BD4C portfolio include 4 cents per Blu-ray Disc, 8 cents per Blu-ray/DVD hybrid disc, and $4.50 per Blu-ray player, among others.

Toshiba, which formerly spearheaded rival high-definition format HD DVD, will act as licensor for the BD4C companies’ patents.

Thomson Licensing is part of the former Thomson Group, which changed its corporate name to Technicolor last month. Technicolor recently inked a disc replication deal with Warner Home Video.