Echostar To Pay TiVo Another $103 Million In Patent Case
This story was written by Rory Maher.
Tom Rogers and TiVo (NSDQ: TIVO) must feel vindicated. In the latest chaper of a patent-infringement case on its DVR technology that dates back to 2004, TiVo was awarded an additional $103 million by the United States District Court in Texas after a failed appeal by Echostar (NSDQ: SATS). The additional payment, on top of $105 million awarded to TiVo for the original judgment, is a result of what the court deemed to be delay tactics by Echostar, which created what it felt was a workaround to the TiVo patents while it appealed the case.
Though Echostar said it would appeal the ruling again, the Wall Street Journal cites sources who believe it's highly unlikely the ruling will be overturned, which would force Echostar to license TiVo's technology for use in its DVR service. Surely those won't be the most pleasant of negotiations after a long court battle.
By Rory Maher