The Copyright Office issued an interim rule prescribing information categories for a public musical works database for the Music Modernization Act (see 1901170037), the CO announced Thursday. The interim rule, effective Feb. 16, establishes rules on “usability, interoperability, and usage restrictions of the database” and requires the mechanical licensing collective to “disclose certain categories of information in its statutorily-required annual reports to ensure transparency of the collective itself and specifies requirements related to an abbreviated, one-time written public update in December 2021 regarding the MLC’s operations.”

Sonos landed a U.S. patent Tuesday for a tunable “music discovery dial” on a user's “command device” by emulating the functionality of an old-fashioned radio, says the patent (10,877,726), based on a May 18 application. For users who might want to “stumble across something that they would not normally listen to,” modern graphical user interfaces or voice commands may lead users “to listen to the same music over and over,” it says. The invented command device may include a dial to facilitate tuning to different streaming audio channels, “similar to how rotating the frequency dial of a radio tunes the radio to different stations,” it says. Unlike the dial on a traditional radio, the command device can be personalized via a user’s “playback history,” says the patent. “Using such history, streaming audio channels can be configured to include music that is unexpected or new for a particular user, rather than just generally out-of-the-mainstream.” Sonos didn't comment on commercialization plans.

WiLan's Xueshan Technologies subsidiary bought a second portfolio of about 2,000 patents from MediaTek, WiLan said Wednesday. Acquired patents involve power management and RF ICs, embedded and near-field communication, microcontrollers and image processors, it said. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Samsung’s South Korean parent company applied last week to register “Samsung Micro Color” as a U.K. and U.S. trademark for TVs, digital signage display panels and computer monitors, Patent and Trademark Office records show. Samsung began preorders for its 110-inch 4K MicroLED display, which will be available for the first time in traditional TV form globally in Q1. Samsung said the self-emissive display renders 100% of the DCI and Adobe RGB color gamut and accurately delivers wide color gamut images taken with high-end digital single-lens reflex cameras, but it didn’t use Samsung Micro Color as a descriptor (see 2012110015).

The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security added more than 60 companies, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., China’s largest chipmaker, to the entity list “to protect U.S. national security,” said BIS Friday. This stems from China’s “military-civil fusion doctrine” and evidence of collaboration between SMIC and “entities of concern in the Chinese military industrial complex,” it said. SMIC denied the allegations, saying it supplies products and services only for “civilian end users” (see 2011120011). The company didn't comment Friday. The new restriction “limits SMIC's ability to acquire certain U.S. technology by requiring U.S. exporters to apply for a license to sell to the company,” said BIS. “Items uniquely required to produce semiconductors at advanced technology nodes -- 10 nanometers or below -- will be subject to a presumption of denial.” China urges the U.S. “to stop its wrong behavior of oppression of foreign companies,” said a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Friday in anticipation of the BIS action. “China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

HBO Max will be available via the Roku platform starting Thursday, with users able to subscribe directly on their Roku devices, Roku said Wednesday.

A fitness data recording device that lacks programming is considered a product of China, Customs and Border Protection determined Monday. The Whoop Strap is programmed in the U.S. after being imported. “The article, in its condition as imported, is incomplete and non-functional as it lacks the software and firmware necessary for it to function,” CBP said. “The incomplete Whoop Strap, at the time of importation, is a product of China. CBP is of the view that programming would not result in a substantial transformation.” China isn't part of the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement, which means the Whoop Strap as imported would not be considered “a product of a foreign country or instrumentality,” CBP said.

While VCRs and then DVDs were a staple of convenience TV viewing for decades, the era of subscription VOD has in many cases obviated the need for recording, raising questions whether consumers will notice or care much about a looming fight to stifle ripping of YouTube video streams, nScreenMedia analyst Colin Dixon blogged Sunday. Consumers "may lose the hard-won right to record the shows and movies we watch in the transition to digital video services," he said. "Few may even notice the loss" since most people won't be involved in YouTube ripping, he said.

COVID-19’s closure of theaters in 2020 disrupted Hollywood’s movie release schedule, and with many theater release windows gone for now as a result of the pandemic, “content producers have the opportunity to go try things in a new way without crashing the system,” said Interpret Vice President Brett Sappington on a Tuesday Brightcove webinar. With Universal, Warner and Disney capable of monetizing movies through company-owned streaming services, “what do theaters look like?” post-coronavirus, he asked. “Do they come back and at what scale?” He offered the possibility of a distributor buying a movie chain to control distribution. The market for theaters will “erode significantly, more than we want to talk about,” said Brightcove analyst Jim O’Neill. Studios have been trying to control theatrical outlets for some time, said Allan McLennan, CEO of Padem Media Group. “Now, being able to get in and actually have a little bit of leverage to keep themselves alive is very key.” AT&T is putting its completed 2021 film slate out through its HBO Max service in a one-month streaming exclusive that’s simultaneous with theater releases (see 2012080063). Brian Carroll, Ladies Professional Golf Association senior vice president-global media distribution, said streamers are “nibbling” into live sports content under different approaches including nonexclusive deals, documentaries, previews and highlights: The LPGA hopes to make more content available over streaming.

Adding legislation for a voluntary small claims board within the Copyright Office to a must-pass spending bill is “inappropriate,” the Computer & Communications Industry Association said Monday in response to reports of the spending legislation including the Case Act (see 1910210039). “Exposing small businesses and internet users to high penalties without effective due process in a new venue would enable litigants to circumvent the existing safeguards provided by the federal judicial system,” said President Matt Schruers.