Microsoft signs Monkeymedia patent deal

Microsoft has entered into a licensing agreement with US design interface firm Monkeymedia to secure patents related to interactive video technologies.

The deal covers Monkeymedia's Seamless Expansion family of patents pertaining to methods for media telescoping, such as the cinematic insertion of ancillary or advertising content into IP video streams.

It also involves the Relativity Controller family of patents, which dates back to 1992, pertaining to methods for navigating video and other media by de-emphasising the display of non-salient content.

"Licensing technology is an essential part of maintaining a healthy cycle of innovation in the IT industry, and is a practice employed by almost all high tech companies," said Ken Lustig, and head of inbound licensing at Microsoft.

"Microsoft respects intellectual property rights, and is able to stand behind its products and customers. Intellectual property licensing is an essential part of maintaining and growing a healthy and strong software ecosystem."

Texas-based Monkeymedia is a privately held user interface design shop turned "intellectual property licensing boutique", founded in 1994 by Janna Buckmaster Bear and Eric Gould Bear, a former Microsoft staffer.

The firm recently sold several other families of user interface patents to an undisclosed patent holding company.