Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Move Networks Gets Streaming Patent

American Fork, Utah-based Move Networks, which develops high definition video streaming technology, announced Wednesday afternoon that it has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. According to Move, the patent covers adaptive streaming, and is similar to what Akamai, Apple, Adobe, Limelight, Microsoft, Netflix, Widevine and others have deployed. Move said those firms deployed adaptive bit rate architecture "inspired by" the firm's invention. The company did not say if it intends to pursue a patent lawsuit strategy. The patent news was announced by Drew Major, the firm's founder. The announcement comes four months after move said it had laid off most of its staff, and was seeking "strategic alternatives" after widespread rumors of the firm's shutdown. Move had raised funding from Steamboat Ventures, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Benchmark Capital, Microsoft, Cisco, Comcast and Televisa. Move did not give the patent number granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, however, a search of the USPTO's patent application database shows a patent application for "System and Method of Managing Multiple Video Players" applied for by Move in January of 2008.