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

[Steven Adeff]

On 4/25/06, Arnoud Engelfriet <arnoud.engelfriet at philips.com> wrote:
> 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
>

I will never understand a patent system that allows for something like
this to be patented. I thought of such a system more than 10 years
ago. I told a friend, you know, if I had the choice of watching a tv
show without commercials and paying extra money to do so, I might do
it if the cost was right.

So now some company is going to be able to steal the idea from me
because they have the fatmoney lawyers to patent the idea and thus
preventing anyone else from using a remotely similar concept?

On top of that, the same technology could be used by certain
"Associations" to force me to use certain products that are required
to watch tv that will force me to sit through commercials? (which have
never swayed me to purchase any product, though some are damn funny,
gotta love those Trunk Monkeys!)

Its things like this that make people hate Corporations.

--
Steve
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