ETRI Sued Disney Over HEVC Video Patent Rights
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute claims Disney streaming services infringed upon five video patents.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Television
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The South Korean Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company in Delaware. The suit claims Disney's streaming services, including Disney+ and Hulu, improperly used HEVC/H.265 video-coding technology.
Why it matters
The legal action follows failed attempts to secure a licensing agreement for the Access Advance Video Distribution Patent pool. ETRI is seeking damages covering up to six years of usage prior to the October 2026 complaint.
ETRI asserts infringement of five specific US patents, including 11,595,643 and 10,021,416. The plaintiff is seeking retroactive damages for up to six years of alleged unauthorized technology use.
The players
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
This South Korean government-funded research organization specializes in information and communications technologies.
The Walt Disney Company
This American multinational entertainment and media conglomerate operates major streaming platforms including Disney+ and Hulu.
Access Advance
This company manages patent pools for video coding technologies and facilitates licensing for industry stakeholders.
The details
The lawsuit, joined by several South Korean academic and industrial foundations, alleges that Disney integrated protected HEVC/H.265 technology into its streaming architecture without a license. This litigation mirrors a similar intellectual property dispute initiated by ETRI against Snap in July 2026.
Timeline
Access Advance approached Disney regarding licensing in December 2024.
A confidentiality agreement was executed in February 2025.
Access Advance provided a patent list to Disney in November 2025.
ETRI filed a patent suit against Snap in July 2026.
The lawsuit against Disney was filed on October 7, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This litigation highlights the ongoing enforcement efforts within the crowded streaming video technology sector. It follows a pattern established by the July 2026 ETRI patent infringement suit against Snap.
The lawsuit currently has no immediate impact on the availability or pricing of Disney streaming services for subscribers. Future court rulings could influence how streaming platforms license video technologies and their associated operational costs.
The takeaway
Patent disputes in the streaming sector often hinge on complex licensing requirements for video-coding standards. Consumers should monitor for potential service changes should future court decisions force platforms to restructure their underlying technical licensing agreements.
Further reading
For more information on legal developments in the streaming industry, visit the Television section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IAM.
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