Verimatrix disputes Widevine patent suit

Verimatrix, a San Diego content security developer, rejected the patent infringement charges brought about by one if its competitors last week. Widevine, based in Seattle, filed suit in U.S. District Court in Tyler Texas Aug. 1, seeking unspecified damages. Widevine said it sued only after trying to "openly license its intellectual property to Verimatrix."

The plaintiff said the Verimatrix Content Authority System infringed on Widevine patent no. 7,165,175, issued last January for a selective encryption technology. In court papers obtained by FierceIPTV, Widevine said it notified Verimatrix in March of the infringement. "Verimatrix's infringement of the '175 patent has been and continues to be willful," the court filing states. Verimatrix said it would respond "very aggressively" to the lawsuit.

Widevine investors include Cisco, Charter Communications and Telus, while Verimatrix has received support from Siemens and Crescendo Ventures in Palo Alto, Calif.

For more:
- Verimatrix's statement is here
- Widevine's is here