I knew that the MP3 parent was about to expire, apparently it did so some months ago and few even noticed. I certainly did not even see the El Reg page announcing its unlamented death last month.
El Reg. link
Not really too surprising that it was not noticed. Anyone who ever looked at this would see that it was a horrible entanglement of cross-patents and patent extensions. Now however they are all dead – I wonder how long it will be before Raspberry Pi cottons on and stops asking for money for Fraunhofer licenses.