jori.hamalainen@teliasonera.com wrote:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Patents are a terrible thing for open source. They bind our hands, steal our hobbies and kill our jobs.
PS: For every patent they issue, God kills a puppy. Think about the puppies!