Tivo lawsuit against Echo (1 Viewer)

[marklp77]

Does this affect MP in any way?

"A federal judge ruled earlier this month that some of the features of DVR devices offered by EchoStar Communications (parent company of Dish Network) infringed upon TiVo's patents, awarding the company more than $90 million in damages. The lawsuit was over the "time warp" feature that allows users to record a show while playing back previously recorded material. The ruling has been stayed pending appeal, but if it's ultimately upheld, the single biggest reason to use a DVR -- watching and recording simultaneously -- might end up being exclusive to TiVo."

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71686-0.html?tw=wn_index_1

 

[Callifo]

They cant copyright the acutal process, maybe it was the name they copied? Itd be like copyrighting eating and then only letting certain people do it

 

[mPod]

They cant copyright the acutal process, maybe it was the name they copied? Itd be like copyrighting eating and then only letting certain people do it

Of course they can patent the process, if they were first. That's what all this crappy software patents discussion is about!

 

[kalon]

Does this affect MP in any way?

"A federal judge ruled earlier this month that some of the features of DVR devices offered by EchoStar Communications (parent company of Dish Network) infringed upon TiVo's patents, awarding the company more than $90 million in damages. The lawsuit was over the "time warp" feature that allows users to record a show while playing back previously recorded material. The ruling has been stayed pending appeal, but if it's ultimately upheld, the single biggest reason to use a DVR -- watching and recording simultaneously -- might end up being exclusive to TiVo."

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71686-0.html?tw=wn_index_1

Without any knowledge of this lawsuit:

It´s almost impossible to copyright a feature. Only the way the feature is produced. The code and design for example.
So anyone can do some reversed engineering and create a competitor.

Examples in the history are Apple(MS/IBM/Commodore), IBM(Compaq), WordPerfect(F-keys in MS Word), The swedish guy who invented the mouse - dont remember his name...

But I really dont know if thats the case in this lawsuit, I havent read about it.