OPENNESS AND PATENT RISK OF CODECS

Here I have gathered (and will be gathering more of) the most known and commonly used coding formats for audio-visual standards.

Here you will see each codec name, accessibility of the standard, as well as the potential patent risks associated with implementing, distributing, or otherwise using the coding formats.

Note: Not all coding formats are present. Closed formats at this time are not present to prioritize formats with published standards, free or not

THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE

This information is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Patent status, licensing obligations, and intellectual property risks can depend on specific implementations, jurisdictions, and factual circumstances. Consult qualified legal counsel for advice regarding patent risk, licensing, or compliance decisions.

TOGGLE STANDARD ACCESSIBILITY AND PATENT RISKS

No Risk Low Risk Medium Risk High Risk Certain Risk

Allow Public Allow Paywalled

VIDEO CODECS

Bitmap Image File Format (BMP) | Public Standard, No Risk

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable Pixmap Format (PPM) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable Bitmap Format (PBM) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable Graymap Format (PGM) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable Arbitrary Map Format (PAM) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Animated Portable Network Graphics (APNG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Mozilla's APNG format specification was adopted into PNG version 3.0 specification. Where PNG v3.0 decoders can support Mozilla APNGs.

Multiple-image Network Graphics (MNG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) | Public Standard, No Risk

Web Picture Format (WEBP) | Public Standard, Low Risk (Non-FRAND)

WEBP is built off of VP8 technology. While the dispute between Google and MPEG-LA was dissolved, Nokia, after a patent of theirs was ruled to not impact VP8 in a german court, has filed an IPR declaration to the IETF regarding RFC 3686. No lawsuits have been filed by Nokia since 2013, despite declaring Non-FRAND on patents.

Animated WebP (WEBP_ANIM) | Public Standard, Low Risk (Non-FRAND)

WEBP_ANIM is built off of VP8 technology. While the dispute between Google and MPEG-LA was dissolved, Nokia, after a patent of theirs was ruled to not impact VP8 in a german court, has filed an IPR declaration to the IETF regarding RFC 3686. No lawsuits have been filed by Nokia since 2013, despite declaring Non-FRAND on patents.

Joint Photographic Experts Group Image Compression (JPEG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Motion JPEG (MJPEG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Motion JPEG-B (MJPEG-B) | Public Standard, No Risk

Lossless JPEG-B (LJPEG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Lossless JPEG (JPEGLS) | Public Standard, Low Risk (Royalty-Free)

Core Specification
Extensions Specification

Licensing

It is royalty-free, but registration with HP is required and is covered only when the implementation fully meets JPEG-LS Part 1

JPEG 2000 (JP2) | Paywalled Standard, Medium Risk

According to ISO/IEC 15444-1:2016 Annex L: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) draw attention to the fact that it is claimed that compliance with this Recommendation | International Standard may involve the use of patents... ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity and scope of these patent rights.

JPEG XL Image Coding System (JPEGXL) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

JPEG XL Animation (JPEGXL_ANIM) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

Loki SMJPEG multimedia container/image codec (SMJPEG) | Public Standard, No Risk

JPEG 2000 PGX Test Image Format | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

Defined in section B.2.6 of ITU-T.803.

Quite OK Image Format (QOI) | Public Standard, No Risk

Adobe Photoshop Document (PSD) | Public Standard, No Risk

Digital Negative (DNG) | Public Standard, No Risk

MEPG-1 Part 2 Video (MPEG1_VIDEO) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

MEPG-2 Part 2 Video AKA H.262 (MPEG2_VIDEO) | Paywalled Standard, Low Risk

Licensing

Only two patents from Malaysia remain

MEPG-4 Part 2 Video (MPEG4_VIDEO) | Paywalled Standard, Low Risk

All known patents from Via-LA's pool have expired on July 17, 2026.

MEPG-5 Essential Video Coding (MPEG5_EVC) | Paywalled Standard, Medium Risk

Baseline is royalty-free. Main profiles are not; direct negotiation terms with Samsung, Huawei, and Qualcomm are requried.

MEPG-5 Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (MPEG5_LCEVC) | Paywalled Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

H.261 (H261) | Public Standard, No Risk

H.263 (H263) | Public Standard, No Risk

H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC (H264) | Public Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

H.265 / HEVC (H265) | Public Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

H.266 / VVC (H266) | Public Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

VP8 (VP8) | Public Standard, Low Risk

While the dispute between Google and MPEG-LA was dissolved, Nokia, after a patent of theirs was ruled to not impact VP8 in a german court, has filed an IPR declaration to the IETF regarding RFC 3686. No lawsuits have been filed by Nokia since 2013, despite declaring Non-FRAND on patents.

VP9 (VP9) | Public Standard, High Risk

Licensing

Despite the fact that Google intended for this codec to be royalty-free, Sisvel has formed a patent pool to garner royalties from those using the coding format. While lawsuits have been made regarding these patents, some are settled, but so far all that made it to trial had patents be invalidated.

AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) | Public Standard, High Risk

Licensing

Despite the fact that Alliance of Open Media intended for this codec to be royalty-free, Sisvel has formed a patent pool to garner royalties from those using the coding format. Originally uncertain of enforcement, that is now being tested as Dolby is suing Snap Inc for HEVC and AV1 patent infringement.

AOMedia Video 2 (AV2) | Public Standard, Medium Risk

Sisvel has promised to make a patent pool for AV2, much like how they have made one for AV1.

SMPTE VC-1 (VC1) | Public Standard, Medium Risk

Licensing

Only the United States and Brazil have patents remaining

Dirac Video Codec (DIRAC) | Public Standard, No Risk

SMPTE VC-2 / Dirac Pro (VC2) | Public Standard, No Risk

Theora Video Codec (THEORA) | Public Standard, Low Risk

Even though On2/Xiph granted Theora as royalty-free, MPEG-LA publicly raised concerns about possible patent coverage. No successful claim or lawsuit was made since

Microsoft Run-Length Encoding (MSRLE) | Public Standard, No Risk

Microsoft Paint RLE / MSP Image Format (MSP) | Public Standard, No Risk

Chinese Audio Video Standard (CAVS) | Paywalled Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

Compact Disc + Graphics (CDGRAPHICS) | Public Standard, No Risk

Commodore CDXL (CDXL) | Public Standard, No Risk

CineForm HD / SMPTE VC-5 (CFHD) | Public Standard, No Risk

Specification for VC-5 Source code for Cineform SDK

SMPTE standardized the Cineform codec as SMPTE ST 20073 VC-5. That spec was actually not enough to decode Cineform files. However,

DirectDraw Surface (DDS) | Public Standard, No Risk

DNxHD / VC-3 family (DNXHD) | Public Standard, Medium Risk

VC-3 Specification IMF Specification

Licensing

VC-3 utilizes patented technology implemented by Avid. Only few patents from United States remain

DNx Uncompressed / VC-3 extension (DNXUC) | Public Standard, Medium Risk

Licensing

Utilizes patented technology. Only few patents from United States remain

DPX (DPX) | Public Standard, No Risk

Specification Specification for HDR

Digital Video (DVVIDEO) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

OpenEXR Image Format (EXR) | Public Standard, No Risk

Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) | Public Standard, No Risk

Autodesk Animator FLIC (FLIC) | Public Standard, No Risk

HAP GPU Texture Video Codec (HAP) | Public Standard, No Risk

Interleaved Bitmap (IFF_ILBM) | Public Standard, No Risk

LOCO Lossless Image Compression (LOCO) | Public Standard, No Risk

LOCO-I is the basis from JPEGLS

PlayStation Motion Decoder (MDEC) | Public Standard, No Risk

ZSoft PC Paintbrush Image Format (PCX) | Public Standard, No Risk

Portable FloatMap (PFM) | Public Standard, No Risk

Pictor PIC (PIC) | Public Standard, No Risk

Apple ProRes (PRORES) | Public Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

On the Apple Licensing Page: For information on ProRes and ProRes RAW licensing, development, and product certification, contact the Apple ProRes Program Office at ProRes@apple.com.

Apple QuickDraw PICT (QDRAW) | Public Standard, No Risk

Radiance RGBE HDR (HDR) | Public Standard, No Risk

id Software RoQ video (ROQ) | Public Standard, No Risk

SGI RGB Image (SGI) | Public Standard, No Risk

SGI RGB Image RLE (SGIRLE) | Public Standard, No Risk

FFmpeg Snow (SNOW) | Public Standard, No Risk

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) | Public Standard, No Risk

Truevision TGA (TARGA) | Public Standard, No Risk

Wireless Bitmap (WBMP) | Public Standard, No Risk

X PixMap (XPM) | Public Standard, No Risk

AUDIO CODECS

Linear Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) | Public Standard, No Risk

So many different specs regarding the same linear, uncompressed singaling.

Mu-Law Pulse Code Modulation (PCM_MULAW) | Public Standard, No Risk

A-Law Pulse Code Modulation (PCM_ALAW) | Public Standard, No Risk

SMPTE ST 302M / ST 302 (PCM_S302M) | Public Standard, No Risk

Yes (Blu-ray Disc specification) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

You must be a licensed member to have access to the specification

Yes (Blu-ray Disc specification) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

You must be a licensed member to have access to the specification

Amiga IFF 8SVX exponential waveform encoding (8SVX_EXP) | Open Standard, No Risk

Amiga IFF 8SVX Fibonacci compression (8SVX_FIB) | Open Standard, No Risk

MPEG Advanced Audio Coding | Paywalled Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

Dolby AC-3 (AC3) | Open Standard, No Risk

Dolby AC-4 (AC4) | Paywall Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but the repository is available.

Adaptive Multi-Rate Narrowband (AMR_NB) | Open Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband (AMR_WB) | Open Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

Monkey's Audio (APE) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but the source code is available.

CELT (CELT) | Open Standard, Medium Risk

No known specification paper, but is inside the Opus section, which a patent pool for exists.

Codec 2 (CODEC2) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

DV Audio (DVAUDIO) | Open Standard, No Risk

Enhanced Variable Rate Codec (EVRC) | Open Standard, Medium Risk

Many extensions and features are potentially bound by essential patents held by 3GPP2 despite released in 1995.

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) | Open Standard, No Risk

G.723.1 (G723_1) | Open Standard, No Risk

G.728 (G728) | Open Standard, No Risk

G.729 (G729) | Open Standard, No Risk

GSM 06.10 Full Rate (GSM) | Open Standard, No Risk

Internet Low Bit Rate Codec (ILBC) | Open Standard, No Risk

Low Complexity Communication Codec (LC3) | Open Standard, Medium Risk

Licensing

Fraunhofer IIS Offers licenses for Advanced Packet Loss Concealment as an add-on to the Bluetooth-standardized LC3.

Low Complexity Communication Codec plus (LC3P) | Open Standard, Certain Risk

Licensing

MPEG-2 Layer I (MP1) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

MPEG-2 Layer II (MP2) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

MPEG-2 Layer III (MP3) | Paywalled Standard, No Risk

Musepack Sv7 (MUSEPACK7) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

Musepack Sv8 (MUSEPACK8) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

Musepack Sv8 (MUSEPACK8) | Open Standard, Certain Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

Opus Audio Codec (OPUS) | Open Standard, High Risk

Licensing

Despite the fact that xiph Foundation intended for this codec to be royalty-free, Vectis has formed a patent pool to garner royalties from those using the coding format. Originally uncertain of enforcement, that is now being tested as Dolby is suing Acer for Opus patent infringement.

Quite OK Audio Format (QOAF) | Open Standard, No Risk

Low-complexity Subband Codec (SBC) | Open Standard, No Risk

3GPP2 Selectable Mode Vocoder (SMV) | Open Standard, Medium Risk

Sonic Lossless (SONIC_LS) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

Sonic (SONIC) | Open Standard, No Risk

No known specification paper, but source code is available.

True Type Audio (TTA) | Open Standard, No Risk

Vorbis (VORBIS) | Open Standard, No Risk

WavPack (WAVPACK) | Open Standard, No Risk