Latest patents expand TiVo’s intellectual property portfolio
December 11, 2001 - San Jose, CA – TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) the creator and leader of television services for digital video recording, today announced it has been granted additional patents for its technology and service. The first patent protects the functions that are the core of digital recording devices. The second patent covers inventions that enable simple and reliable networking of multiple streaming media devices in the home.
The TrickPlayTM patent issued by the United States Patent office as number 6,327,418, describes a method of controlling streaming media in a digital device. In today’s implementation of a TiVo DVR, the TrickPlay patent covers the functions that enable TiVo subscribers 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. Storing, editing and manipulation of video are also among the 64 claims supported by the TrickPlay patent.
Combined with TiVo’s landmark Time Warp patent [USPTO No. 6,233,389] which enables the simultaneous recording and playback of multiple streams as well as efficient and low-cost processing, synchronization, and storage of multimedia streams, the TrickPlay patent ensures that TiVo’s patent portfolio covers the key functions that are essential to operate the TiVo DVR.
"The ability to pause live TV is one of the most desirable DVR functions. The combination of TiVo’s TimeWarp patent issued earlier this year and the TrickPlay patent we are announcing today protects all the basic inventions that make TiVo the revolutionary product our customers enjoy today and insures it will be the product of the future," said Jim Barton, Chief Technology Officer for TiVo. "These patents further bolster our licensing business and protect current and future licensees using TiVo technology."
The Home Networking patent issued as USPTO number 6,310,886 describes a simple and reliable method for connecting TiVo DVRs and other streaming media devices to a network in the home. This technology allows TiVo to extend the ease of use of its current product and service to digital entertainment that can be enjoyed throughout the home. "Our foundation technology for DVRs is just the beginning, and we continue to extend that technology looking forward to the networked multimedia home of the future," continued Barton. "Televisions, radios, telephones and the PC are some of the products that could access media on an easy to use home network. We look forward to not only the continued proliferation of TiVo DVR’s but to the future of home entertainment."
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997 with the mission to dramatically improve consumers' television viewing
experiences, TiVo is the creator of and undisputed leader in television services
for digital video recorders (DVR). TiVo's leadership has defined and inspired the
entire category, earning the company patents for pioneering inventions associated
with DVR software and hardware design. TiVo was the first to deliver on the promise
of consumer choice and control over TV viewing, building a loyal and passionate
subscriber base with over 97% of customers recommending TiVo to a friend. This enthusiasm
has contributed to an overwhelming 300% growth over the past year, bringing the
total subscriber base to exceed 280,000.
Today, the TiVo Service is available in the United States on the Philips Personal TV RecorderTM and the Sony Digital Network Recorder TMand DIRECTV Receivers with TiVo 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. Revenues for fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 were $3.6 million. Additional information can be found at http://www.tivo.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements by use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "may," "will," "intends" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such forward-looking statements have known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in such 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 July 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.
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.