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TiVo Names Patel Head of IP Licensing, Renews Funai IP Agreement

TiVo June 15 announced it’s named Arvin Patel as its new EVP and chief intellectual property (IP) officer, beginning July 1, giving him oversight of the company’s massive patents and licensing business.

He’ll also be tasked with growing TiVo’s OTT and mobile licensing businesses.

Patel, who brings more than two decades experience to the role, comes over from Technicolor, where he served as chief IP officer. He previously worked as the global head of IBM’s IP Strategy group, and also held the position of SVP of IP and licensing at TiVo’s predecessor, Rovi Corp.

“Having worked for some of the world’s largest technology and entertainment companies, Arvin fully understands the value of TiVo’s IP and solutions and the ability of our offerings to help customers reach consumers in new and compelling ways,” said TiVo president and CEO Tom Carson. “TiVo thrives on innovation and we’re excited to have Arvin join us as we continue to expand our offerings in the fast-growing streaming and OTT markets and explore global opportunities in emerging segments of the entertainment technology marketplace and beyond.”

Patel added: “TiVo has a proven track record of successfully developing and licensing technology to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience. I believe that there is a significant opportunity to build on that legacy of success and position the IP business for the next phase of growth. Together, our patented technologies and innovative products are key to powering the next generation of entertainment.”

Patel takes over for Samir Armaly, who will remain with TiVo and move into a new role where he’ll be responsible for overseeing tier one IP renewals through to completion.

“With the recent achievements of our IP licensing business and the completion of several long-term agreements with many of our largest customers, the time is right for priming the business for the next phase of growth,” Carson said. “The opportunity for our IP licensing business remains strong, and I believe we are optimally positioned to capitalize on that opportunity with Arvin as our new leader combined with Samir’s continued involvement with the company.”

In other IP news, TiVo announced it’s renewed its multi-region product and IP licensing agreement with Funai Electric, for entertainment products in Japan, North America and Europe.

“TiVo’s comprehensive entertainment discovery patent portfolio enables Funai to deliver advanced features and functionalities that make our products more competitive, while enhancing the entertainment viewing experiences for our consumers,” said Hideaki Funakoshi, president of Funai Electric, in a statement.

Funai will use TiVo’s electronic program guides, including G-Guide and G-Guide xD, for 4K TV sets in Japan, and will include TiVo’s G-Guide HTML in future 4K TV models.

“This agreement enables Funai to deliver highly-personalized entertainment discovery experiences to their customers in multiple regions,” said Michael Hawkey, SVP and GM of user experience for TiVo. “It’s a testament to the strength of TiVo’s innovative technology portfolio in delivering the ultimate entertainment experience.”