Dolby Laboratories Acquires FAU Video Compression Tech Portfolio

FAU's video compression technology portfolio includes 683 intellectual property assets, 250 granted patents and 73 U.S. patents, including 16 U.S. patents essential to the international VVC/H.266 standard.

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Florida Atlantic University announced today that a video-compression technology portfolio developed through a long-standing research partnership with OP Solutions, LLC (OPS), has been acquired by Dolby Laboratories, marking a milestone for university-driven innovation, and positioning FAU-developed technology at the center of the future of global video delivery.

Dolby Laboratories, whose technologies are used in cinemas, streaming services, consumer electronics, and professional media production worldwide, is widely recognized as a leader in audio and visual innovation.

The portfolio comprises 683 intellectual property assets, including 250 granted patents worldwide and 73 United States patents, invented by FAU researchers in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The research was sponsored by OPS, which provided strategic research support, patent development and commercialization expertise while FAU faculty conducted the underlying technical research.

“This acquisition exemplifies the power of combining world-class faculty expertise with strong industry partnerships,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “Technology developed at Florida Atlantic has evolved from groundbreaking university research into an international standard and is now part of the portfolio of one of the world’s leading media technology companies. Its applications span digital media, national security, autonomous systems and emerging AI technologies, demonstrating how FAU research is driving innovation and economic impact on a global scale.”

At the heart of the portfolio is technology that contributed to Versatile Video Coding (VVC), also known as H.266, the international video-compression standard finalized in 2020 by experts from around the world through the International Organization for Standardization and the International Telecommunication Union. VVC reduces video data requirements by approximately 50% compared with the previous High Efficiency Video Coding standard while maintaining the same visual quality.

The transaction also highlights the success of the research and commercialization partnership between FAU and OPS. Through the collaboration, OPS sponsored advanced video-coding research at FAU while helping guide intellectual property development and commercialization efforts.

“This achievement illustrates the power of sustained investment in research excellence and strategic partnerships,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Working with OP Solutions, our faculty took video-compression research from the lab into a global standard, and that work is now part of Dolby’s portfolio. It is a clear example of FAU research reaching real products and returning value to the university.”

Sixteen U.S. patents developed through the FAU-OPS collaboration have been declared essential to the VVC standard and are licensed through the Access Advance VVC patent pool for worldwide commercial implementation. Dolby acquired the portfolio from OPS, which held the patent rights following assignment from FAU.

“From the beginning, our partnership with Florida Atlantic University was built around a shared vision of advancing video technology through long-term research and innovation,” said Robert J.L. Moore, president of OPS. “The resulting portfolio represents years of pioneering work by exceptional researchers and demonstrates how industry and academia can work together to create technologies with global impact.”

The research team behind the portfolio are Hari Kalva, Ph.D., professor and chair; Borko Furht, Ph.D., professor and director of the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Advanced Knowledge Enablement; and Velibor Adzic, Ph.D., an FAU alumnus and now assistant professor of teaching, all within FAU’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Kalva and Furht are named inventors on all 250 granted patents in the portfolio, while Adzic is a named co-inventor across the patent family.

“Every day, millions of people and countless devices rely on video, yet the challenge has always been how to deliver more quality using less bandwidth,” said Kalva. “The technologies developed at FAU help address that challenge at a global scale. Seeing our research become part of an international standard, recognized through essential patents and ultimately acquired by Dolby is extraordinarily rewarding. It confirms that innovations created in our laboratories can shape the future of streaming, broadcasting, defense communications, autonomous systems and emerging AI-driven technologies.”

FAU-invented video compression technology is helping shape the future of television, streaming and broadcasting by delivering higher-quality video while using less bandwidth. It also has important applications in drones, satellites, autonomous vehicles and robotics, where efficient video transmission supports real-time operations and reduces bandwidth and storage demands.

“This achievement not only reflects Florida Atlantic University’s leadership in video-compression research but also positions us at the forefront of the next generation of AI-driven media technologies,” said Gregg Fields, Ph.D., FAU vice president for research. “As video becomes increasingly analyzed by machines rather than viewed by humans, our researchers are helping shape the standards that will power future advances in autonomous systems, robotics, defense and artificial intelligence.”

-FAU-

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