- U.S. patent number 6,847,778, entitled Multimedia Visual Progress
Indication System, which describes, among other things, methods for displaying a trick play bar to a user which visually indicates the amount of stored program material or the length of a
recording session
as well as the user's current position within the stored program material.
This means we can't use a progress bar? How absurd.
(I am sorry I haven't uploaded english patent dictionary into my head, but patent knowledge is there :)
- I am 100% sure there was programs earlier than TiVo's patent apply where such progress bar is available. Xing players in early 90's? This would void the patent or give first right use to products used that prior TiVo's apply date. - If patent were OK, then countries/areas where patent has been applied and granted cannot use such feature => US VDR users cannot see progress bar without a license. - Tivo has also right to first claim patent in EU, but if it hasn't done that EU users can use patented technology. - But patent isn't automatic. You can use and build such features. Tivo has to start asking VDR communities for license fees. And after that battle begins.
NOTE: I haven't checked patent claims (what Tivo is actually claiming).
- U.S. patent number 6,792,195, entitled Method and Apparatus
Implementing Random Access and Time-Based Functions on a Continuous Stream of Formatted Digital Data, which describes methods of controlling streaming media in a digital device, including the functions that enable DVRs to pause live TV as well as rewind, fast-forward, play, play faster, play slower, and play in reverse television signals cached by the DVR.
So, now its too late. We can never have a replay buffer? I really wanted to implement that.
Again, was replay buffer published knowledge (on forum, mailing list etc) prior apply date by Tivo?
- TiVo has also acquired the exclusive right to license and enforce
U.S. patent number 5,241,428 entitled Variable- Delay Video
Recorder
known in the industry as the Goldwasser Patent. Filed in
March 1991,
the Goldwasser Patent is one of the earliest patents
regarding digital
video recorders of which TiVo is aware. This patent covers devices that permit the simultaneous recording and playback of
video material
with a variable time delay between recording and playback
of a given
video program segment.
Doesn't VDR already do this as well? So, legally, we cant record and playback at the same time? Ridiculous.
Patentwise this is the hardest thing for VDR to counter, and every other recording/playback device because it is so old (1991). On the otherway, patent would expire after 11 years.. :-)
I just want to remind open source communities, publish on mailing list new ideas. That makes acquiring patents very hard (or if patent is given, then it is easy to counter)! It is cheap, usually your monthly ADSL fee.. :-) (Or you can patent it by yourself if you have the money, and sell licences to Tivo to gain money).
Best regards, Jori
jori.hamalainen@teliasonera.com wrote:
I just want to remind open source communities, publish on mailing list new ideas. That makes acquiring patents very hard (or if patent is given, then it is easy to counter)! It is cheap, usually your monthly ADSL fee.. :-) (Or you can patent it by yourself if you have the money, and sell licences to Tivo to gain money).
How much money those MEPs really get for driving the software patent legislation? Big companies are for it but small and individuals are against it for good reasons. I cannot think any good reason for MEPs to support this than money or personal pressure of some kind.
Br, Pasi
Le vendredi 04 mars 2005 à 18:26 +0200, Pasi Juppo a écrit :
How much money those MEPs really get for driving the software patent legislation? Big companies are for it but small and individuals are against it for good reasons. I cannot think any good reason for MEPs to support this than money or personal pressure of some kind.
No it is the European Commission that is driving it through not the MEPs. The commission are into cocaine and loose women...
Maybe we need an anti corruption crack down on European Commission members. All those large transfers of funds from Redmond to Luxemburg must be easy to track down.
Tony
On 4.3.2005, at 18:26, Pasi Juppo wrote:
jori.hamalainen@teliasonera.com wrote:
I just want to remind open source communities, publish on mailing list new ideas. That makes acquiring patents very hard (or if patent is given, then it is easy to counter)! It is cheap, usually your monthly ADSL fee.. :-) (Or you can patent it by yourself if you have the money, and sell licences to Tivo to gain money).
How much money those MEPs really get for driving the software patent legislation? Big companies are for it but small and individuals are against it for good reasons. I cannot think any good reason for MEPs to support this than money or personal pressure of some kind.
Here in Finland our beloved Nokia is probably using the same scare tactics as when they drive lower taxes for themselves. Their lobbying people are telling the politicians that unless you don't give us software patents, we'll take our head quarters and R&D centers out of the country, you'd better remember that when deciding about the issue! I guess you could call it blackmailing if you want to. Same thing is probably going on in other countries too (Ericsson/Sweden, Siemens/Germany, Philips/The Netherlands etc.).
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jori.hamalainen＠teliasonera.com -
Pasi Juppo -
tony -
Tuomas Jormola