News
Gemstar-TV Guide and Digeo have dropped their litigation against each other, settling their dispute over program guide patents.
The resolution of the problem will have Gemstar TV-Guide providing Digeo with a patent license to cover Digeo’s currently deployed interactive program guides (IPGs).
Gemstar also said that Digeo will deploy the Gemstar IPG on its Moxi system with service providers and for use on consumer electronic (CE) and personal computer (PC) platforms.
That’s what Gemstar said. A Digeo spokesman said only that the settlement allows it to use “Gemstar IPG data” if it so chooses. If it so chooses, that would apparently be the first time Digeo would deploy its Moxi boxes with an IPG (or IPG data) other than its own. Digeo declined to directly answer whether that would be the first time or not.
The spokesman said that Digeo does not comment on deployments, so there is no way of telling if any of Digeo’s customers or potential customers have asked to use the Moxi unit with the Gemstar IPG.
Digeo has its own program guide for its Moxi DVR. Gemstar-TV Guide tried to induce Digeo to license its program guide patents. Digeo refused and sued Gemstar-TV Guide for antitrust violations late in 2006. Gemstar responded with a patent infringement suit against Digeo and Charter Communications, which uses the Moxi media center.
Others deploying the Moxi product have included Comcast, Bend Broadband, New Wave Communications and Sunflower Broadband.
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