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What is the One-Blue patent pool?
A patent pool combines patents held by multiple organizations into a licensing program. One-Blue was established by 15 companies with essential optical-disc patents as a one-stop licensing option. In 2012, One-Blue CEO Roel Kramer told EE Times that its program covered “the vast majority of Blu-ray and optical patents that include DVD and CD.” That description indicates broad coverage, not every patent relevant to every product.
In this context, an essential patent is one whose relevant claim may necessarily be practiced by a product implementing the applicable standard. Federal Circuit materials discuss independent analyses of whether member patents are essential to DVD or Blu-ray standards. Membership in the pool does not mean every patent in a member’s broader portfolio applies to every device or disc.
Which products did the described license cover?
The 2012 description covered hardware, PC software and multiple disc formats. Its hardware and PC-software licenses included patents identified as essential to Blu-ray, DVD and CD standards. The categories described were:
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- Hardware: Blu-ray players, recorders and drives, including BD playback drives in PCs.
- PC software: software in the program’s described scope.
- Discs: read-only, recordable, rewritable and high-capacity Blu-ray discs, including pre-recorded movie discs.
The scope is a historical description of the program, not confirmation that a particular product, patent or territory is covered by a license today.
What royalty rates were reported?
EE Times reported these examples in 2012. They show that the program used different charges for different product types, including a per-disc charge; they should not be treated as current rates.
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| Product | Reported example royalty | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Blu-ray Disc recorder | $12 | Example rate reported by EE Times in 2012; not a current quote. |
| Blu-ray Disc player | $9 | Example rate reported by EE Times in 2012; not a current quote. |
| BD playback drive in a PC | $7 | Example rate reported by EE Times in 2012; not a current quote. |
| Pre-recorded BD movie disc | 9¾ cents per disc | Example rate reported by EE Times in 2012; not a current quote. |
These figures do not establish what a manufacturer would owe now. Rates, eligibility, covered patents and license availability for 2026 are not established by the historical sources summarized here.
How did One-Blue describe enforcement?
One-Blue said it would seek customs interception of unlicensed products in various countries. It also described retail carton labels for players and recorders, and registration logos on pre-recorded and recordable discs, as ways to help identify licensed products. The pool reserved the right to pursue retailers and other participants in the distribution chain when products were unlicensed.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Those statements describe the pool’s stated enforcement approach, not proof that any particular shipment was intercepted or that a particular product violates a patent. Enforcement exposure depends on the product, relevant patent claims, territory and license status.
What happened in the Imation disputes?
One-Blue and licensors Philips, Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony sued Imation in Delaware over patents alleged to be essential or related to Blu-ray standards. A contemporaneous release said the suit aimed to “maintain a level playing field” for pool licensors and licensees manufacturing and selling Blu-ray products. That was the plaintiffs’ stated rationale, not a court finding about the merits.
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A Japan Fair Trade Commission/OECD note records that Imation later filed a lawsuit in Tokyo against One-Blue in August 2013. Together, the suits show that the relationship involved both licensing enforcement and a challenge to the licensing arrangement in a competition-law context. The cited material does not establish the full outcome of either case.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should a manufacturer evaluate before choosing a licensing route?
A company assessing optical-disc patent obligations should not assume that a pool license is automatically necessary or sufficient. The relevant questions are product- and territory-specific:
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- Product category: determine whether the product is a player, recorder, computer drive, software product or disc, and whether the historical program scope matches it.
- Standards implemented: identify whether the product implements Blu-ray, DVD, CD or a combination, and which claims may be practiced.
- Territory: check where the product is made, imported and sold; licensing and enforcement questions can differ by jurisdiction.
- Economics: compare any current per-unit and per-disc charges against the product mix and expected volumes.
- Operational obligations: verify reporting, labeling and registration requirements in the proposed license.
- Patent and legal exposure: assess relevant patent terms, remaining rights, license status and potential litigation or injunction exposure.
Because the historical sources do not establish One-Blue’s 2026 onboarding status, live patent list, current royalty schedule or jurisdiction-specific patent expirations, a manufacturer needs current official licensing terms and patent review before budgeting or shipping products.
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