[mythtv] Philips MythTV presentation at CELinux[MESSAGE NOT SCANNED]

[Arnoud Engelfriet]

Dear all,

I just noticed this thread on the mythtv-dev mailing list. I'm a patent 
attorney at the Philips IP department (Intellectual Property & Standards) 
and I would like to respond to some of the things that have been said 
about this invention here and elsewhere.

I regret that this patent application was interpreted as "Philips will 
stop you changing channels when the adverts start", because that simply is 
not true. It is always our intention to invent technology and products to 
make life easier for our customers. Philips does not now and never had the 
intention to force viewers to watch ads against their will. This 
particular patent application (not a granted patent!) is not used in any 
product, nor do we have such plans. 

Let me give you some background on the invention. Some years ago our 
inventors brainstormed about watching movies without commercials and many 
ideas came out. Most of these inventions are about detection, advancing 
and skipping of commercials. This particular invention also came out of 
those brainstorm sessions and should be seen in the light of pay-tv and 
recorded programs. It actually concerns a system where the viewer can 
choose, at the beginning of a movie, to either watch the movie as pay-tv 
without ads, or watch the movie with ads. It is up to the viewer to take 
this decision, and up to the broadcaster to offer the various services. 

Kind regards,

Arnoud Engelfriet, IP Counsel
Secretary of Philips Open Source Advisory Board
Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

Building WAH 1-004, PO Box 220, 5600 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Phone: + 31 40 27 45261, Fax: +31 40 27 43489
E-mail: Arnoud.Engelfriet at philips.com
Intranet: http://pww.ips.philips.com/
Internet: http://www.ip.philips.com/