TiVo Files Suit Against Echostar

TiVo Inc. today filed a patent infringement suit against EchoStar Communications Corporation alleging the satellite television service provider is violating it's "Time Warp" patent.

From TiVo’s press release:

TiVo Inc. today filed a patent infringement suit against EchoStar Communications Corporation in federal district court in Texas alleging the satellite television service provider is violating claims of U.S. Patent No. 6,233,389 issued to TiVo in May 2001, known as the “Time Warp” patent. Key TiVo inventions protected by the Time Warp patent include a method for recording one program while playing back another, watching a program as it is recording, and a storage format that supports advanced TrickPlay capabilities (i.e. pausing live television broadcast, fast-forwarding, rewinding, instant replays, and slow motion).

“We take great pride in the fact that TiVo has created and developed the technology that revolutionizes the way people watch television,” said Mike Ramsay, CEO of TiVo. “We’ve invested in building a comprehensive patent portfolio to protect our intellectual property and as the DVR category grows, we will be aggressive in protecting those assets.”

“Our plan has been to leverage our intellectual property to support our drive for market share growth. The success of our licensing business clearly demonstrates the value the industry has placed on TiVo’s technology. It’s important that we protect our IP for TiVo and our licensees,” continued Ramsay.

TiVo filed the patent involved in this litigation with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in July 1998.

As disclosed in its most recent annual report, TiVo has been awarded 49 patents and has over 100 patent applications pending. These patents and patent applications protect its original DVR software and hardware design, as well as additional features that enhance the TiVo service and enable networked home entertainment.