Audio Codec Report – Methodology 

Introduction and Context 

This methodology section is designed to offer clarity and insight into the data processes used in the LexisNexis^® Audio Codec report, without implying any commitments or guarantees.   

Data Source 

The data presented in the Audio Codec report was derived from two primary databases:  

1. LexisNexis® IPlytics™ Database – This database provided patent declaration data, patent pool data and standards contribution data. 
2. LexisNexis® PatentSight+™ Database – This database supplied the Patent Asset Index information. 

Both databases rely on authoritative, publicly available original sources: 

• Worldwide patent data from various patent offices.  
• Corporate ownership information derived from business registers and annual reports. 
• The ETSI IPR database, which includes patent declaration records.  
• Undeclared patents, patent data, publicly available patent that were identified as standard relevant by LexisNexis^® Classification 

Since EVS was developed by 3GPP, which is governed by ETSI, EVS-related patents are based on the ETSI IPR patent declaration database. For this analysis, patents declared to the EVS-relevant ETSI TS.26 series, were considered. 

To identify AAC patents, Opus patents and MPEG-H patents, the report relies on LexisNexis^® Classification a supervised machine learning algorithm, designed to detect patents related to these audio codes. The classifier is trained using a mix of true positives (e.g., patents declared to pools) and true negatives (patents unrelated to the standard) to construct an initial technology landscape. 

From this patent landscape, random samples are reviewed by subject matter experts to confirm their relevance to the defined standard or to identify those unrelated. 

These new true positives and true negatives are then incorporated back into the training data, following an iterative process to create a comprehensive landscape of the SEP-related patents. 

While this process effectively identifies undeclared patents linked to the respective standard, it’s important to note that the resulting patent landscapes include both verified SEPs and non-SEPs—meaning some patents relate to respective technology but are not necessarily essential to the standard’s implementation. 

Explanation of Date Definitions used in the Report 

Declaration Date: The date on which patents are submitted by the patent owner to ETSI via its online interface. While ETSI acknowledges this submission date, there is often a significant delay between this date and the point at which the patent declarations become publicly available on the ETSI website and are included in the database. It is important to note that declarations are frequently published months, or in some cases even years, after the initial declaration date. ETSI only tracks and reports the patent declaration date but not the date when the declaration was made available.  

Declaration Publication Date: Date when the declaration is made publicly available on ETSI’s website. This date is not provided by ETSI.  

Declaration Data Retrieval Date: The date on which the declaration data was accessed and retrieved from the ETSI website. 

Report Creation Date: The date on which the LexisNexis report was generated. It includes patent declarations up to the Declaration Data Retrieval Date, as well as patent information available at the time of report creation. This encompasses details such as patent legal status updates, ownership changes, and alterations in corporate structures, including mergers and acquisitions.

Delays or updates in the publication of declarations, legal status changes, ownership transfers, and corporate restructuring events may impact the reproducibility of results. Consequently, the analysis should be considered a snapshot reflecting the state of the data at a specific point in time.   

Cut-off dates: A defined date that limits data retrieval to a specific day, month, and year.  

Data Query Approach 

Each figure and table in LexisNexis reports are derived from specific data queries performed within the IPlytics™ and/or the PatentSight+™ database.   

The queries are intended to account for various parameters, including: 

• Patent status: Whether the patent has been granted or is still pending, and whether it is active or has lapsed/expired. 
• Declaration scope: Whether the patent is declared to EVS related TS.  
• Cut-off dates: A defined date that limits data retrieval to a specific day, month, and year. 

Cut-off dates are important for providing a consistent snapshot of data in future analyses. They apply to key milestones, including:  

• The date the patent was published. 
• The date the patent was granted. 
• Patent ownership changes through e.g., reassignments, M&A. 
• The patent’s legal status, considering e.g., rejections, invalidations, withdrawals and/or annuity fee payments. 
• The date the patent was declared at the ETSI standards body. 
• The date the patent declaration was retrieved from the ETSI standards body. 

By incorporating these parameters, the data queries aim to provide accuracy, consistency, and relevance in the report’s findings. 

Data Definitions 

1. ETSI IPR Database 
   The ETSI IPR database includes declared patents, each linked to information about a Technical Specification (TS) and a standards project.
   
   • Technical Specifications (TS): These are specific documents detailing individual standards.
   • Standards Projects: These are broader labels that may directly specify a project as “EVS” or use more general terms such as “3GPP” or “Release 15.”  

While TS documents provide a more granular view, ETSI IPR does not classify them by standards protocols (e.g., EVS, IVAS, V2X, NB-IoT).  

2. 3GPP Data 
   To classify TS documents by standards generations, the 3GPP database was used. This database maps TS documents to specific standards protocols such as audio and speech codecs like EVS or IVAS.   

Cut Off dates 

Patent data from various sources, including legal statuses, patent reassignments, corporate structures, standards contributions and patent declarations is continuously evolving, which necessitates the use of cut-off dates. For instance, changes in patent ownership often appear on patent office websites months after the actual transaction date. As an example, we observed patents reassigned in June 2024, where the corresponding reassignment information was only published in mid-October 2024.  

The data presented in LexisNexis reports reflects publicly available information as of the data retrieval date. Changes in ownership, standard contribution submissions, or patent declarations published after this date—even if retroactively dated—are not included. This approach ensures consistency and transparency, relying on the most accurate and accessible data available at the time of analysis.  

ETSI: Publication Timeliness and Impact of Potential Delays 

ETSI is a database where companies submit patent declarations through an online interface. Once a declaration is submitted, ETSI verifies the information and processes it for publication on its website, https://ipr.etsi.org. ETSI records the declaration date as the date the company submits the declared patents. However, the date when the declaration becomes publicly available on the ETSI website can range from days to weeks, several months, or even years after the initial submission  – this is part of the variability and potential delays inherent in ETSI’s publication process, which may contribute to discrepancies in databases relying on timely access to such information.  

Consistency of Data Results 

At LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions, we are committed to maintaining the accuracy and reliability of our reports. Each report undergoes a thorough review process by a team of subject matter experts, who rerun the search queries multiple times to ensure reproducibility. This review process is designed to ensure our published reports are as accurate and reliable as possible while acknowledging the limitations of the original data sources like inconsistencies and timeliness.  

It is important to note that each report represents a snapshot of data at a specific point in time. Patent data evolves daily: patents that were active yesterday may have lapsed or expired today, while pending patents may have been granted in the interim. Ownership of patents also changes frequently. New patent declarations relevant to audio and speech codecs such as EVS or IVAS are regularly declared and added to databases on a weekly basis. 

As a result, the rankings of companies in a report may shift over time due to these updates. For example, a company ranked at a certain position in the report may have changed its standing based on more recent data. Similarly, EVS patent shares and the total number of declared patents are dynamic and subject to continual changes. 

We strongly recommend that anyone using this LexisNexis report—whether in patent licensing negotiations or as a reference in litigation—ensure that they consider both the findings given in the report and the most up-to-date data available through the IPlytics™ & the PatentSight+™. This will ensure a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the current patent landscape.