May 24, 2001 - San Jose, CA -- May 24, 2001 - TiVo Inc., (NASDAQ: TIVO) the creator of and leader in personal television, today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued to TiVo a patent that covers many of the key inventions associated with personal video recording software and hardware design.
TiVo was formed on a foundation of significant technology developments and engineering that is unique in the landscape of technology art and sets TiVo apart from its competitors. As the first to market with the product and service now commonly referred to as a Personal Video Recorder or Digital Video Recorder, TiVo has defined the category and built a brand whose qualities exemplify the market overall. The TiVo brand is backed by significant inventions that were filed with the patent office long before consumers recognized the technology and its benefits. The USPTO issued patent number 6,233,389 to TiVo for a "Multimedia Timewarping System," originally filed in July of 1998.
"We are pleased that TiVo is receiving formal recognition for the invention of unique and novel technologies -- underpinning the making of Personal Video Recording devices. We realize that delivering a compelling and easy to use product and service to the market demands a new level of technological aptitude," said Jim Barton, Chief Technology Officer for TiVo. "TiVo's aptitude in this regard will become increasingly apparent as our patent portfolio grows over time. From the inception of the company, we have placed great emphasis on developing and protecting our intellectual properties including patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets."
This patent discloses all aspects of the design and construction of the TiVo Receiver/Recorder. Key inventions in the patent include:
This is one of many patents filed by TiVo. In addition to the patent above, TiVo has been issued patent 6,215,526, which describes a method for embedding data within a television signal in such a way that it survives analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion during the transmission process. TiVo owns design patents for its award winning remote control and the design for the integrated DIRECTV Receiver with TiVo. These patents are issued as Remote Control design patents: D424,061, D431,552, Remote Control housing design patents: D424,577, D435,403 and DIRECTV Receiver with TiVo bezel design patent: D434,043. TiVo also has pending applications that cover the end-to-end features and functions of the TiVo Service.
The patents have also been examined and approved under the terms of the Patent Convention Treaty (PCT), which provides for nominal acceptance of the patent in countries that are signatories to the treaty, which includes most countries in the world. TiVo is currently filing for acceptance in key countries around the world.
About TiVo, Inc.
TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO) is the creator of and leader in personal television. Founded
in 1997 with the mission to dramatically improve consumers' television viewing experiences,
TiVo developed a technology that serves as a platform for delivering a variety of
home entertainment services. TiVo's Personal TV Service™ simplifies the way we watch
and enjoy television by digitally recording television shows, without videotape,
so you can watch what you want, when you want to watch it. TiVo was the first to
deliver on the promise of consumer choice and control over TV viewing, building
a loyal and passionate subscriber base.
TiVo's leadership is grounded in its ability to forge critical partnerships, working together with the giants of the media, technology, consumer electronics, and television industries. Industry support of TiVo is reflected in its partner roster that includes, AOL, BSkyB, DIRECTV, Philips, SONY, Thomson and the leading cable and network television companies. Today, the TiVo Service is available in the United States on the Philips Personal TV Recorder™ and the Sony Digital Network Recorder ™ in nearly 3500 consumer electronics retail and online outlets and in the UK under the Thomson Scenium brand. TiVo is headquartered in San Jose, CA. Additional information can be found at http://www.tivo.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements regarding TiVo's business, customers or other factors that may affect future earnings or financial results. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those, expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include delays in development, competitive service offerings and lack of market acceptance, as well as the "Factors That May Affect Future Operating Results" and other risks detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2000, the Transition Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 31, 2001, and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended October 31, 2001, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof.
TiVo is a registered trademark of TiVo Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other company or product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.