Shazam re-acquires audio recognition patents from BMI

Mobile discovery firm Shazam is re-acquiring audio recognition technology patents it sold to rights management organization Broadcast Music Inc. in 2005. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Shazam sold the technology to BMI to help fund its development--six years later, the firm is seeking to integrate the audio recognition IP more fully into its services as it expands beyond mobile music discovery into television and other multimedia platforms. BMI will continue to use the technology to detect and identify performances of music in conjunction with its BMI Recognition Services product and will become a Shazam shareholder. In addition, the companies will work together on co-marketing programs and new service offerings.

The Shazam mobile application pinpoints entertainment content from any source, regardless of ambient noise. After users hold their handset to the audio feed for a few seconds, the clip is run through the company's database to find an exact match. More than 165 million consumers across 200 countries now use the Shazam service.

In late June, Shazam raised $32 million in new funding, stating it would leverage the investment to support its expansion into interactive television solutions. Earlier this month, Shazam teamed with cable's USA Network to enable viewers to unlock exclusive content promoting the second season of the spy drama Covert Affairs--at any point in the show, view can access the Shazam app to screen exclusive videos and photos, download wallpapers, share content via Facebook and Twitter and purchase merchandise.

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