Comments on: TiVo Granted Patent For The Season Pass http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:39:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Davis http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215247 Davis Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:00:14 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215247 Patent issues are always tricky so I'll leave it to the experts to sort out, but just a little bit of food for thought, since the patent covers both broadcast and internet delivery, couldn't one argue that this would prevent the other DVRs from integrating services like Netflix which rely on suggestions? At the minimum this would put Microsoft media center in infringement and would be a pretty good exclusive feature for TiVo no? That said, I'm a huge fan of TiVo's suggestions and think that it's enough of a differentiator on it's own. Patent issues are always tricky so I’ll leave it to the experts to sort out, but just a little bit of food for thought, since the patent covers both broadcast and internet delivery, couldn’t one argue that this would prevent the other DVRs from integrating services like Netflix which rely on suggestions? At the minimum this would put Microsoft media center in infringement and would be a pretty good exclusive feature for TiVo no? That said, I’m a huge fan of TiVo’s suggestions and think that it’s enough of a differentiator on it’s own.

]]> By: Fanfoot http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215246 Fanfoot Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:18:31 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215246 Davis, the problem for Tivo is that Claim 1 includes the whole Tivo Suggestions thing, which from my reading means that if you just to the Season Passes part, you're free and clear. The way patents work is that somebody might not infringe say on Claim 2 (assuming it builds on Claim 1), but could still be found guilty of infringing on Claim 1. Allows you to build a complex and powerful patent out of smaller more difficult to avoid pieces. Either their lawyer on this wasn't any good, or the patent office rejected Season Passes by themselves as either prior art or obvious. My bet would be the latter. But as it stands I don't think they can sue anybody who doesn't do Suggestions. Davis, the problem for Tivo is that Claim 1 includes the whole Tivo Suggestions thing, which from my reading means that if you just to the Season Passes part, you’re free and clear. The way patents work is that somebody might not infringe say on Claim 2 (assuming it builds on Claim 1), but could still be found guilty of infringing on Claim 1. Allows you to build a complex and powerful patent out of smaller more difficult to avoid pieces.

Either their lawyer on this wasn’t any good, or the patent office rejected Season Passes by themselves as either prior art or obvious. My bet would be the latter.

But as it stands I don’t think they can sue anybody who doesn’t do Suggestions.

]]> By: Barry http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215244 Barry Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:52:01 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215244 people forget that Season Passes didn't exist until Tivo invented them. It makes sense that they should be rewarded for their hard work and creativity. The fact that the cable cos don't license it is more a fact of the cable cos' approach to IP than Tivo's. Cable companies don't like to pay for anything unless forced to... people forget that Season Passes didn’t exist until Tivo invented them. It makes sense that they should be rewarded for their hard work and creativity. The fact that the cable cos don’t license it is more a fact of the cable cos’ approach to IP than Tivo’s. Cable companies don’t like to pay for anything unless forced to…

]]> By: Davis http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215239 Davis Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:33:43 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215239 I'm not sure that comparing TiVo to the SCO is very accurate. The SCO didn't practice what they had tried to patent. TiVo is stuck in a competitive industry with high barriers to entry and have largely been frozen out by the cable giants. If anything, I think it's better to compare them to TVGuide who patented the VCRplus technology and guide data and then used it to forge partnerships with all of the same cable companies that TiVo is fighting with. I’m not sure that comparing TiVo to the SCO is very accurate. The SCO didn’t practice what they had tried to patent. TiVo is stuck in a competitive industry with high barriers to entry and have largely been frozen out by the cable giants. If anything, I think it’s better to compare them to TVGuide who patented the VCRplus technology and guide data and then used it to forge partnerships with all of the same cable companies that TiVo is fighting with.

]]> By: Clayton http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215238 Clayton Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:42:45 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215238 This will be useful as Tivo becomes more and more like SCO. This will be useful as Tivo becomes more and more like SCO.

]]> By: Davis http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215237 Davis Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:10:49 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215237 Just about every DVR includes some kind of season pass prioritization feature. Microsoft media center for example includes a step by step description on their website, http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/learn-more/record-tv/tutorials/broadcast-tv-record-options.aspx Comcast, Time Warner, Dish and DirecTV all use similar functionality, but a few of these companies have entered into licensing arrangements with TiVo and I would suspect that even new patents would fall under these agreements. Just about every DVR includes some kind of season pass prioritization feature. Microsoft media center for example includes a step by step description on their website,

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/learn-more/record-tv/tutorials/broadcast-tv-record-options.aspx

Comcast, Time Warner, Dish and DirecTV all use similar functionality, but a few of these companies have entered into licensing arrangements with TiVo and I would suspect that even new patents would fall under these agreements.

]]> By: Derek Bill http://davisfreeberg.com/2010/02/18/tivo-granted-patent-for-the-season-pass/comment-page-1/#comment-215236 Derek Bill Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:52:26 +0000 http://davisfreeberg.com/?p=1874#comment-215236 I'm not familiar with the similar functions provided by other DVR makers.... does it now appear there has been patent infringement by any other makers? I’m not familiar with the similar functions provided by other DVR makers…. does it now appear there has been patent infringement by any other makers?

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