TiVo goes to war with Samsung over TV box patents

TiVo, a television set-top box maker, has sued Samsung for allegedly infringing four of its patents through technology used in digital video recorders.

In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas yesterday, September 10, TiVo accused the South Korean company of infringing US patent numbers 6,233,389; 6,792,195; 7,558,472; and 8,457,476.

The US-based company has a history of asserting its patents against technology companies.

In 2013, Cisco and Motorola agreed to pay $490 million combined to settle a dispute after they were targeted by TiVo.

The ‘389 patent, approved in 2001, covers technology allowing viewers to watch a show while recording another, and the ‘195 patent is directed to the speed of playing back videos. The other two patents are related to the ‘389 patent but with later expiry dates.

In its complaint, TiVo said Samsung had prior knowledge of all the patents.

TiVo claimed its patented technology can be found in retail products that it marks with patent numbers and that its products and patents are publicly available on its website.

“Samsung gained actual or constructive knowledge of TiVo’s patents as a result of this patent marking,” the complaint said.

“TiVo is informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that Samsung’s infringement of the [patents] has been and continues to be wilful and deliberate,” it added.

TiVo is seeking damages and an injunction preventing Samsung from selling products that infringe the patents.

Tom Rogers, president of TiVo, said the action should help address “one of the questions regarding the value, breadth, and applicability of TiVo’s IP portfolio post the 2018 expiration of the ‘389 patent”.