Rovi Corp. and Cablevision have entered into a multi-year agreement that allows the nation’s fifth-largest cable operator to license Rovi’s interactive program guide (IPG) intellectual property.

“Cablevision is dedicated to providing our customers with value-added and differentiated products and services,” said John Trierweiler, Cablevision’s executive vice president of product management. “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Rovi, as we continue to provide customers with sophisticated technologies to easily find and navigate programming content.”

The deal – financial terms weren’t available – provides Cablevision with a license to the Rovi IPG patent portfolio for next-generation set-top box, online and mobile platforms.

“Increasingly, MSOs are offering their subscribers access to entertainment content that extends beyond the set-top box, across multiple devices,” said Samir Armaly, senior vice president of worldwide licensing at Rovi. “The addition of Cablevision to our licensing program shows the value that today’s MSOs see in providing their subscribers with content navigation via next-generation online and mobile platforms.”

In December, Cox Communications and Rovi signed a multi-year agreement that lets the cable operator license Rovi’s IPG intellectual property for its broadband and mobile platforms.

Earlier this month, Rovi launched a free iPad application that allows users to browse their local TV listings.