Digital TV giants under fire for patent violation

Digital TV outfits, ONdigital and Telewest, as well as viewer access software suppliers Nagra Kudelski and CanalPlus Technologies, have all been accused of violating patents for the encryption of broadcast transmissions first registered by a small Dutch firm, TV/COM, in 1981. The encryption is vital for ensuring digital TV stations collect revenues for pay-per-view programmes.

TV/COM director, Graham Kill, said he was prepared to take matters to court if necessary.

He told silicon.com: "We're hoping of course that we can come to a commercial licensing agreement, but ultimately if that were not possible, it would be in the hands of the courts to decide."

The media companies accused have reacted angrily to the allegations.

A spokesman for UK firm, ONDigital, said the fault, if any, lay with its software supplier, CanalPlus. He told silicon.com: "I suspect that as users we only get named as part of this for technical reasons."

CanalPlus was not prepared to comment.

Graham Kill is also chief executive of conditional access supplier, Irdeto, one of the main rivals to CanalPlus and Nagra Kudelski.

Irdeto bought TV/COM just 11 months ago and since then Kill has focussed his efforts on bringing these claims of patent infringement against his competitors.

He admitted that ONdigital and Telewest are both potential customers for Irdeto. Under intellectual property law, a patent-holder is allowed to sue the user, as it is they who are infringing the patent on a day-to-day basis.