Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)

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Qualcomm buys 10 patents for wireless broadcast
By Mike Dano
Jun 13, 2005

http://rcrnews.com/news.cms?newsId=23002

Qualcomm Inc. acquired 10 patents covering a wireless broadcasting technology that allows operators to send bursts of content to select groups of subscribers. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Qualcomm scored the patents through an acquisition of the assets of Vail, Colo.-based Vesuvius Inc. The firm was an intellectual property holding company run by four executives. The company owned 10 patents covering what it called narrowcasting/multicasting technology.

A Qualcomm spokesman declined to offer details on the acquisition, including what the company would do with the technology. Qualcomm is in the process of building its MediaFLO mobile TV network, which it has described as using multicasting technology.

George Kauss, one of the former Vesuvius executives, said the company's technology would allow wireless carriers to broadcast content to a select group of subscribers based on demographics or geography. For example, he said, carriers could target residents of Chinatown in San Francisco or Harley Davidson enthusiasts and send them content including alerts or streaming video.

"You are now able to target delivery," he said.

Kauss and two other former Vesuvius executives today announced they formed a new company called Vulano Group Inc. The company will develop patents in the wireless, enterprise and consumer software markets.