Global television manufacturer TCL recently joined the ATSC 3.0 patent pool managed by Via Licensing (formerly MPEG LA) as a licensor by acquiring essential patents related to the ATSC 3.0 standard held by the US company RTEM.

The acquisition was facilitated by PurpleVine IP, a Chinese intellectual property service provider. TCL had previously joined the patent pool as a licensee in September 2023. This role upgrade now positions TCL as a major TV manufacturer participating with a dual identity—as both licensee and licensor. Hoglund, CEO of Via Licensing, stated that the current ATSC 3.0 patent pool includes 18 licensors.

Previously, the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) joined as a new licensor, and Panasonic shifted from licensor to licensee. Victor Yang, Chairman of PurpleVine IP and former Global Chief Legal Counsel of TCL, noted that TCL’s business will be deeply integrated with the ATSC 3.0 standard, and its participation will further enhance the patent pool’s value. TCL’s Chief Legal Counsel Daniel Fu emphasized that this move will promote the development of the patent licensing ecosystem and accelerate the global application of the technology.

Via Licensing has been active recently: in February 2025, it partnered with Japan’s ULDAGE to expand the electric vehicle charging patent pool; in March, it announced Huawei’s entry into its HEVC/VVC video coding patent pool; and in April, three licensors filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in Düsseldorf, Germany, seeking an injunction based on seven HEVC patents.