Motorola Sues TiVo For Infringing On DVR Patents

Nothing like a little courtroom drama (or "litigation," as they call it) to get the watercooler talk started, right? Motorola Mobility has just sued TiVo (yeah, TiVo!) for doing the unthinkable: infringing its patents for digital video recorders (DVRs). Ouch. Considering that DVRs are TiVo's bread and butter, it's probably not comfortable to be dealing with accusations like this.

The complain was just recently filed, and it notes that Motorola had "acquired its DVR patents through an acquisition of Imedia, which filed for patents in April 1995." The whole thing is pretty complicated; Moto is apparently filing the suit to protect its own interests after TiVo sued Verizon Communications for patent infringement. Why would Motorola care if TiVo sued Verizon? Because Verizon uses Motorola technology, and so -- by a strange linkage of events -- they could be in hot water too if TiVo wins against Verizon.


Here's what Motorola said in a brief statement: "TiVo is attempting to assert its patents against technology disclosed and claimed in Motorola Mobility's patents, despite the fact that Motorola Mobility's patents were filed more than three years before TiVo's patents."

Looks like we may need to get settled in; we doubt this bickering will end anytime soon.