Fraunhofer IIS licenses MPEG-H audio patents to Samsung

03 August 2020

The Fraunhofer IIS has announced that it is licensing its MPEG-H Audio patents to Samsung Electronics, allowing the technology giant to manufacture products that feature MPEG-H Audio.

The MPEG-H Audio system, substantially developed by Fraunhofer IIS, is specified in TV broadcast standards such as ATSC 3.0 and DVB as well as in the mobile broadband standard 3GPP. It is currently the only Next Generation Audio codec used in commercial TV broadcasting since the launch of the South Korean ATSC 3.0-based UHDTV service in May 2017.

Additionally, MPEG-H Audio was recently added to the Brazilian ISDB-Tb system to enhance the user experience with immersive audio and personalization features. In Europe, many broadcasters and streaming services have already successfully tested MPEG-H Audio during major sports and music events.

Also based on MPEG-H Audio is the immersive music streaming ecosystem 360 Reality Audio. Already available with streaming services like Amazon Music HD, Deezer and Tidal, the technology is enabling the next revolution in music entertainment as well.

The agreement between Fraunhofer and Samsung will help accelerate the adoption and usage of MPEG-H 3D Audio in mobile, broadband, and broadcast markets based on the ATSC 3.0, DVB or ISDB standards as well as Internet delivery.

“We are very proud to work with Samsung, one of the leading CE manufacturers worldwide, to bring the benefits of MPEG-H Audio to market,” said Stefan Geyersberger, Head of Patents and Licensing and Deputy Division Director Audio and Media Technologies of Fraunhofer IIS. “MPEG-H Audio defines a new dimension in the end-user experience by enabling immersive and interactive audio services.”

Author
Neil Tyler