Amazon, Twitch hit with patent lawsuit over streaming technology

(Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc and its popular live-streaming subsidiary Twitch were sued Thursday in San Francisco federal court by an Israeli company that said their video technology infringes one of its patents.

B.S.D Crown Ltd, formerly known as Emblaze Ltd, accused Amazon and Twitch of violating its rights in a patent related to adjusting the quality of live-streaming audio and video based on changing bandwidth availability.

Emblaze previously sued Apple and Microsoft in the U.S. for infringing the patent. A California jury ruled for Apple in 2014 and Emblaze and Microsoft agreed to drop their dispute in 2015.

BSD’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday, and a representative for Amazon declined to comment.

BSD said in the lawsuit that Emblaze was founded in 1994 and innovated streaming technology that now “powers the majority of live broadcasts.”

BSD said Amazon infringes the patent with its technology for adapting video quality in live sports streams such as National Football League games as well as in Twitch live streams. Amazon bought Twitch for $970 million in 2014.

BSD asked the court for an unspecified amount of money damages.

The case is BSD Crown Ltd v. Amazon.com Inc, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:23-cv-00057.

For BSD: Francisco Villegas and Mark Halderman of Armstrong Teasdale

For Amazon: attorney information not available

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Emblaze says Microsoft, Apple infringe its patents

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