Arvin Patel, the former chief IP litigator for TiVo, who was recently golden parachuted following the company’s $1.1 billion merger with Xperi, has re-emerged in a new role for Intellectual Ventures, a company that controls more than 30,000 technology patents and which is often referred to as the most notorious “patent troll” in the technology business. 

According to an announcement released by the Bellevue, Wash.-based technology company, which was founded in 2000 by two former Microsoft engineers, Patel will become Intellectual Venture’s  chief operating officer for its Invention Investment Fund (IIF). “Patel will lead commercialization strategy and execution, business development, and partnerships across the fund's vast patent portfolio,” the company said. 

Also read: TiVo’s Top Patent Litigator, Arvin Patel, Out Following $1.1B Xperi Merger

Patel served as executive VP and chief intellectual property officer for TiVo, overseeing an intellectual property business that generated $400 million annually on the strength of around 6,000 patents, Intellectual Ventures said. 

Patel’s most high-profile effort at TiVo was overseeing its sprawling patent battle with Comcast, a court battle Xperi management said it intends to sustain. 

"Arvin is a seasoned and respected thought leader with decades of experience in technology, intellectual property, and public policy," said Nathan Myhrvold, founder and CEO of Intellectual Ventures, in a statement. "His deep IP expertise strengthens our mission to support a robust ecosystem where impactful invention can thrive." 

TiVo’s general counsel and chief compliance officer, Pamela Sergeeff, and its chief intellectual property officer, Arvin Patel, will not be part of the company following the closure of its merger with Xperi, SEC filings reveal.

The merger of TiVo Corp. and Xperi Corp. closed earlier this week, creating one of the largest patent licensing business, with more than 11,000 patents and patent applications, falling under the Xperi brand.

As noted by this Bloomberg Law report, Xperi chief legal officer Paul Davis remains on the management team. But TiVo’s top corporate legal counsel are being bought out. Patel—who has spearheaded TiVo’s well-publicized and ongoing patent dispute with Comcast, is receiving a $1.8 million golden parachute, according to the filings $450,000 of it in cash.

Also read: TiVo Trumpets ITC’s Final Ruling—Comcast Violated Patent on Search Highlight Feature

We sent a note to Xperi Holdings reps today to try to find out how the departure of TiVo’s top legal personnel might impact the litigation with Comcast, which has been routinely mentioned as a high priority by TiVo, despite the substantial cost to maintain it. They’ve yet to respond.

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It’s notable that prior to the announcement of the $1.1 billion deal, TiVo was looking to separate its products business, which makes things like the new TiVo Stream 4K OTT dongle, from the intellectual property business formed when it merged with Rovi Corp. five years ago.

Much of the logic came from the fact that TiVo was trying to sell products to a market that it was also trying to, in some cases, enforce patent licensing upon. And that hasn't always been easy to do.

In early 2017, for example, as its dispute with TiVo/Rovi ramped up, Comcast replaced TiVo with Gracenote as its metadata vendor.

TiVo viewed separating the patent licensing business as a priority. And now that operation will function under the Xperi brand name.  

TiVo’s general counsel and chief compliance officer, Pamela Sergeeff, and its chief intellectual property officer, Arvin Patel, will not be part of the company following the closure of its merger with Xperi, SEC filings reveal.  

The merger of TiVo Corp. and Xperi Corp. closed earlier this week, creating one of the largest patent licensing business, with more than 11,000 patents and patent applications, falling under the Xperi brand. 

As noted by this Bloomberg Law report, Xperi chief legal officer Paul Davis remains on the management team. But TiVo’s top corporate legal counsel are being bought out. Patel—who has spearheaded TiVo’s well-publicized and ongoing patent dispute with Comcast, is receiving a $1.8 million golden parachute, according to the filings $450,000 of it in cash. 

Also read: TiVo Trumpets ITC’s Final Ruling—Comcast Violated Patent on Search Highlight Feature

We sent a note to Xperi Holdings reps today to try to find out how the departure of TiVo’s top legal personnel might impact the litigation with Comcast, which has been routinely mentioned as a high priority by TiVo, despite the substantial cost to maintain it. They’ve yet to respond.

It’s notable that prior to the announcement of the $1.1 billion deal, TiVo was looking to separate its products business, which makes things like the new TiVo Stream 4K OTT dongle, from the intellectual property business formed when it merged with Rovi Corp. five years ago. 

Much of the logic came from the fact that TiVo was trying to sell products to a market that it was also trying to, in some cases, enforce patent licensing upon. And that hasn't always been easy to do.

In early 2017, for example, as its dispute with TiVo/Rovi ramped up, Comcast replaced TiVo with Gracenote as its metadata vendor. 

TiVo viewed separating the patent licensing business as a priority. And now that operation will function under the Xperi brand name.