Interactive TV vendor Ensequence earlier this year was granted three additional patents -- covering the delivery of advanced programming across TV systems and mobile devices -- by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, bringing its total to 10.
The company's approach to patents "is primarily defensive in nature," Ensequence chief technology and product officer Aslam Khader said. "We don't really have a patent-licensing business. However, should other companies be interested in licensing, we are happy to engage with them."
The latest patents are: U.S. Patent 8,176,425 ("Animated screen object for annotation and selection of video sequences"), granted in May, which covers an intuitive way for TV viewers to navigate multiple video segments related to broadcast content on traditional or Internet-connect TVs.
U.S. Patent Nos. 8,229,984 (“Method for application authoring employing a pre-certified multi-platform master application template,” granted in July) and 8,307,020 (“Method for distributing a certified application employing a pre-certified master application template,” granted Nov. 6) cover methods for creating enhanced television applications that can be modified yet retain their certification for broadcast TV delivery systems including cable, satellite and Internet-connected TVs and mobile devices.
New York-based Ensequence has raised about $144 million since it was founded in 2000. Most recently it announced in May commitments for about $26 million in funding led by Myrian Capital, a venture and capital management firm affiliated with the family that owned The Iams Co., a pet-food company purchased by Proctor & Gamble in 1999 for $2.3 billion. Previous investors include Clay Mathile, CEO of CYMI Technologies and former CEO and owner of Iams, and Westbury Partners.
The company's customers include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Dish Network, Verizon Communications, NBC, MTV, Nickelodeon, ESPN, Showtime Networks, Disney, Turner Broadcasting System, HBO, QVC and AMC Networks.
