Acacia began its strategic licensing program with cable and satellite companies in November of last year and by June, the company had filed copyright infringement lawsuits against scores of cable and satellite companies, among them Comcast Corp., Charter Communications, Mediacom, DirectTV, Echostar Communications, Boulder Ridge Cable TV, Central Valley Cable TV, Seren Innovations, Cox Communications and Hospitality Network, a subsidiary of Cox that supplies hotel in-room entertainment.
Seren, Central Valley Cable and Boulder Ridge later settled, but Acacia's aggressive approach to licensing cable companies has continued steadily and was enforced by a pledge from Acacia's Chairman and CEO Paul Ryan at the company's third quarter earnings report meeting in October.
"The growth in use of our DMT technology by cable TV companies continues to accelerate licensing opportunities in that industry," Ryan said.
Only one of the cable companies currently in patent litigation with Acacia was included in the 64 new licensees, Ryan told XBiz.
Ryan outlined Acacia's strategy for licensing cable companies making the transition to receiving content in digital form, and companies that have launched video-on-demand services and digital ad insertion services that enable them to deliver demographically targeted TV commercials for advertisers.
Acacia also continues to target online entertainment, movies, music, news and sports, e-learning institutions, in-room hotel entertainment providers and corporate websites.
Acacia and the Joint Defense Group, which comprises more than a dozen adult companies currently in patent litigation with Acacia, are scheduled for a hearing on Dec. 2 before Judge James Ware.
Both sides have filed various motions and according to Ryan, the hearings could be either procedural or determinations could be made by Ware.
"We will see whether they want to make additional rulings or whether they move to further court hearings," Ryan said.
