1st Technology控告影視節目線上觀看網站HULU侵犯其多媒體傳輸專利

2012年11月9日，一家設立於美國內華達州拉斯維加斯的專利授權公司1st Technology, LLC(下稱1st Technology)，向美國伊利諾州北區聯邦地院提起專利侵權告訴，控告由NBC環球(NBCUniversal)、福斯娛樂集團(FOX Entertainment Group)、迪士尼ABC電視集團(Disney-ABC Television Group)與美國私募資本公司Providence Equity Partners等共同成立之合資企業HULU所經營、提供影視節目線上訂購並觀看的網站hulu.com，其所使用的軟體侵犯了1st Technology所擁有、與互動多媒體資訊傳輸方法有關的3項專利。

本案3項系爭專利之發明人都是1st Technology之主要經理人(controlling manager) Scott W. Lewis，其內容如下：

美國專利編號US 5,564,001，名稱為「在需求減少頻寬之網路上互動傳輸多媒體資訊的方法與系統(Method and system for interactively transmitting multimedia information over a network which requires a reduced bandwidth)」，於1996年10月8日核發；

美國專利編號US 5,745,379，名稱為「製作與傳輸經增強之多媒體資訊的方法(Method for the production and transmission of enhanced multimedia information)」，於1998年4月28日核發；

美國專利編號US 5,845,088，名稱是「製作與傳輸經增強之互動多媒體資訊的方法(Method for the production and transmission of enhanced interactive multimedia information)」，於1998年12月1日核發。

1st Technology在網路與多媒體相關領域擁有多項專利，亦積極透過進行專利訴訟方式來主張其權利，在本案後也向本案相同法院提起多起專利侵權告訴：例如在2012年11月13日，其便基於本案相同3項系爭專利對Facebook提起專利侵權告訴(案號為1:12-cv-09104)；而在2012年11月15日，1st Technology亦對已被中國網路公司騰訊所收購的美國線上遊戲公司Riot Games, Inc.，提起專利侵權告訴(案號為1:12-cv-09168)。(735字；表3)

表一、系爭專利之請求項解析

US 5,564,001? 請求項1	US 5,745,379? 請求項1
1. A communications system for transmitting interactive multimedia information over a communication medium having limited bandwidth, the system comprising: 一項用來透過具備有限頻寬之通訊媒體傳送互動多媒體資訊之通訊系統，前述系統包括	1. A method for the production and transmission of interactive multimedia information comprising the steps of: 一項製作並傳輸互動多媒體資訊的方法，包括以下步驟
interactive multimedia mastering (IMM) system means (Fig.2 - 42) for receiving multimedia program materials from a program source, the IMM system including means for optimizing the program materials by separating the information into primary and secondary layers using psychographic parameters to differentiate between important and less important multimedia information, the program materials further optimized by enhancing information in the primary layers to provide a perceived improvement in the quality of the information when presented to a user, and by compressing at least a portion of the optimized program materials to reduce the bandwidth required to transmit the optimized program materials, the optimized program materials including a plurality of program branches where each of the branches allows a plurality of functions and data to be accessed in order to replicate the program source; 一項用來從一程式來源接收多媒體程式資料之互動多媒體優化(IMM)系統工具，前述IMM系統包括，使用心理參數區別重要與次要多媒體資訊進而將資訊區分成主要與次要階層、藉以最佳化前述程式資料之工具；並藉由增強主要階層中之資訊、讓前述程式資料被提交給使用者時可以被認知到資訊品質提升、讓前述程式資料被進一步最佳化；同時透過壓縮至少部分最佳化程式資料來減少傳輸前述最佳化程式資料所需頻寬；且前述最佳化程式資料包括複數程式分支、而每個分支允許複數功能與資料被存取來重製程式來源	(a) separating (Fig.4 - 202) the interactive multimedia information based upon a program model into primary and secondary layers; (a)基於一項程式模式來將互動多媒體資訊區分為主要與次要階層
	(b) compressing (Fig.4 - 204) at least one of the primary and secondary layers; (b)壓縮至少一個主要與次要階層
	(c) encoding (Fig.4 - 206) the compressed at least one of the primary and secondary layers; (c)就經壓縮之至少一個主要與次要階層進行編碼
	(d) transmitting the compressed and encoded at least one of the primary and secondary layers; (d)傳輸經壓縮與編碼之至少一個主要與次要階層
a multimedia call processing system (MCPS) (Fig.2 - 44) coupled to the IMM for receiving and distributing the optimized program materials from the IMM; and 一項耦合於前述IMM系統之多媒體呼叫處理系統(MCPS)、用來從前述IMM系統接收並散布前述最佳化多媒體程式資料	(e) transmitting the other of the primary and secondary layers; (e)傳輸其他的主要與次要階層
a plurality of interactive multimedia devices (IMDs) (Fig.2 - 52) for receiving the optimized program materials from the MCPS, the plurality of the IMDs including means for accepting user commands for multimedia information and for responsively transmitting a control signal to the MCPS, 複數互動多媒體裝置(IMDs)、用來從前述MCPS系統接收前述最佳化程式資料，前述複數IMDs包括用來接受使用者要求多媒體資訊之指令、並回應地傳送控制訊號到前述MCPS系統之工具	(f) receiving the at least one and the other of the primary and secondary layers; (f)接收前述至少一個與其他的主要與次要階層
	(g) decompressing (Fig.4 - 208) the compressed and encoded at least one of the primary and secondary layers; (g)就經壓縮與編碼之至少一個主要與次要階層進行解壓縮
	(h) mixing the decompressed at least one of the primary and secondary layers with the other of the primary and secondary layers in accordance with psychographic parameters, the psychographic parameters comprising spatial color, audio, and temporal parameters; and (h)根據心理參數將解壓縮之至少一個主要與次要階層以及其他主要與次要階層進行混合，前述心理參數包括空間顏色、聲音與時間參數
the MCPS including a voice mode means responsive to the control signal for branching to a program branch in the optimized program materials indicated by the control signal, the MCPS including means for switching to a data mode for transmitting data from the indicated program branch back to the at least one of the plurality of IMDs and then switching back to the voice mode to accept further control signals from the at least one of the plurality of IMDs, whereby only selected portions of the optimized program materials are sent from the MCPS to the IMDs thereby further reducing the bandwidth required to transmit the multimedia program materials. 前述MCPS系統包括，一回應控制訊號來依其指示選擇最佳化程式資料中程式分支的語音模式工具；可用來轉換到資料傳輸模式、藉以從被選擇程式分支傳輸資料回至少複數IMDs其中之一、而後再轉換回語音模式來從至少複數IMDs其中之一接受進一步控制訊號的工具，其中只有被選擇之最佳化程式資料的部分被從MCPS系統傳送到IMDs，藉以進一步減少傳輸多媒體程式資料之所需頻寬	(i) displaying (Fig.4 - 214) the decompressed at least one of the primary and secondary layers and the other of the primary and secondary layers to provide enhanced interactive multimedia data to a display. (i)顯示解壓縮之至少一個主要與次要階層以及其他主要與次要階層，藉以提供增強之互動多媒體資料給一顯示器
US 5,845,088請求項1
1. An optimization method for an interactive multimedia system for the separation and transmission of multimedia information comprising the steps of: 一項用來最佳化互動多媒體系統區分與傳輸多媒體資訊之方法，包括以下步驟
(a) separating (Fig.2 - 102) the multimedia information into primary and secondary layers based upon a program model to differentiate between important and less important information, (a)基於一程式模式來將多媒體資訊區分成主要與次要階層、藉以差異化主要與次要資訊
(b) enhancing (Fig.2 - 104) the primary layers through psychographic parameters in accordance with the program model to provide a perceived improvement in quality, (b)透過心理參數並依據程式模式增強主要階層、藉以在品質上提供可被認知的提升
(c) providing (Fig.2 - 114) the secondary layers through alternate psychographic parameters, (c)透過其他心理參數提供次要階層
(d) transmitting (Fig.2 – 108 & 118) the primary layers and the secondary layers, and (d)傳輸主要階層與次要階層
(e) replicating (Fig.2 - 110) the multimedia information by combining the enhanced primary layers and the secondary layers. (e)藉由結合經增強之主要階層與次要階層來重製前述多媒體資訊

Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理，2012/11

表二、專利訴訟案件基本資料

1st Technology控告影視合資企業HULU

訴訟名稱	1st Technology, LLC v. HULU
提告日期	2012年11月9日
原告	1st Technology, LLC
被告	HULU (NBC環球、福斯、迪士尼等影視娛樂公司所成立的合資企業joint venture)
案號	1:12-cv-09029
訴訟法院	the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
系爭專利	US 5,564,001 US 5,745,379 US 5,845,088
訴狀下載

Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理，2012/11

表三、本案原告所提起之其他專利侵權告訴舉隅

Source: 科技政策研究與資訊中心—科技產業資訊室整理，2012/11