I Don’t Understand What Does ‘Are Covered Under Pending U.S. and Foreign Patent Applications’ Mean in the Para?

the paragraph is the following:
'Gmail voice and video chat incorporates technologies from Global IP Solutions and Vidyo, Inc. which are covered under pending U.S. and foreign patent applications.'
anybody can understand? thank you very much.
Does 'covered under pending U.S. and foreign patent applications' mean that, the patent applications are still pending, and the technologies is covered under or protected by the pending U.S. and foreign patent applications.