Latest from Next TV in Cognitive-networks

Cognitive Networks Lands $14.5M

Jeff Baumgartner — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 18:00:00 +0000

Cognitive Networks, a company that has developed a cloud-based automatic content recognition (ACR) platform for smart TVs, has locked in a $14.5 million “B” round as it looks to expand its footprint to 20 million “active” connected TVs in 2015.

Cognitive Networks, a San Francisco-based company founded in 2008, said existing investors Rogers Venture Partners and DCM Ventures and three new investors (Hearst Ventures and two still-undisclosed strategic investors) joined the $14.5 million round. Cognitive, which also disclosed the new funding round in this SEC filing on November 20, has raised $21 million so far.

Cognitive said it will use the funds to support the expansion of its proprietary, HTML5-based ACR platform, called ENGAGE, which is used to trigger and deliver interactive elements, such as polls, quizzes and advertising, that sync up with TV programming.

Among some of Cognitive’s early activity, LG is using the company’s ACR platform in newer model smart TV models to support “SHO Sync,” an app from Showtime Networks that delivers interactive features that sync up with live, on-demand or DVR-recorded versions of original series. Cognitive has also customized a show-reminder app developed by Visible World for the National Geographic Channel.

In July, Cognitive announced that it had secured a patent for its “smart client” technology, which followed a patent it received last year for its core ACR technology.

Cognitive Networks said it will demo its technology at January’s International CES (booth 15126a at the Las Vegas Convention Center Central Hall), and will exhibit at CES Unveiled on Sunday, Jan. 4 from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.

Cognitive Lands ‘Smart Client’ Patent

Jeff Baumgartner — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Cognitive Networks, a company that specializes in cloud-based services that power enhanced TV apps that sync up with live or time-shifted video on connected TVs, has secured a patent tied to its “smart client” technology.

The patent – U.S. No. 8,769,584 – describes “Methods for displaying contextually targeted content on a connected television” using data derived from television signals. The company said its client system taps cloud-computing resources to enable intelligence in the smart TV environment, thereby benefiting third-party apps that operate in that same environment.

The patent locked in this month is the second for Cognitive. Last year, the company received a U.S. patent for its core automatic content recognition (ACR) technology.

Founded in 2008, Cognitive, now led by cable vet Michael Collette, launched its baseline “Engage” system last year. The HTML5-based platform uses ACR technology to monitor what consumers are viewing on TV and to trigger and serve up interactive apps, such as polls, quizzes or advertising.

Among Cognitive’s initial partners, LG is using its platform in newer model smart TV models to support “SHO Sync,” an app from Showtime Networks that delivers interactive features that sync up with live, on-demand or DVR-recorded versions of original series. Cognitive has also customized a show-reminder app developed by Visible World for the National Geographic Channel.

In April, the broadcast groups involved in the Pearl group announced that they will test interactive content and advertising services via LG-made smart TVs in three markets using technology from both Cognitive and Watchwith.