Echostar sues Monsoon and Belkin

[Scott Greczkowski]

alifornia Legal Action Targets Two Companies ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EchoStar Corp. (NASDAQ: SATS), a leading global satellite services provider and developer of hybrid video delivery technologies, today announcedits subsidiary Sling Media has filed a lawsuit against two companies in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging infringement of five Sling Media patents.


The civil complaint names Monsoon Multimedia Inc. of San Mateo, CA. and Belkin International Inc. of Los Angeles. Sling Media alleges that products sold by the two California companies infringe proprietary Sling technology used to power the segment-leading Slingbox product family. Using Slingbox, consumers have the ability to watch and control content placeshifted from their living room TVs at any time, to any location, using Internet-connected PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones.
Specifically, the suit alleges that Monsoon and Belkin infringe U.S. Patent Nos. 7,725,912, "Method for Implementing a Remote Display System with Transcoding;" 7,877,776, "Personal Media Broadcasting System;" 8,051,454, "Personal Media Broadcasting System with Output Buffer;" 8,060,909, "Personal Media Broadcasting System;" and 8,266,657, "Method for Effectively Implementing a Multi-Room Television System."


EchoStar is a pioneer of the "TV Everywhere" trend. Sling Media launched the Slingbox in 2005, and completely refreshed the product family with the new Slingbox 350 and 500 models in 2012. These new Slingbox models deliver full 1080p HD quality live placeshifting of TV shows. Today Sling Media is the leading provider of video placeshifting products and services for consumers and television service providers. To learn more about Slingbox visit the Sling Media booth during the 2013 International CES® (Central Hall, Booth #8143).

 

[whitewolf8214]

Wow another lawsuit from Echostar(Dish) Charlies lawyers are his best customers and who is next

 

[Mochuf]

So does this make Charlie a patent troll, like how Dish supporters called Tivo?

 

[whitewolf8214]

So does this make Charlie a patent troll, like how Dish supporters called Tivo?

Maybe and we will see

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I got to admit, it took them a long time (especially on the Monsoon/Hava side.)

 

[Jim S.]

So does this make Charlie a patent troll, like how Dish supporters called Tivo?

As far as I'm concerned, it does.

 

[GaryPen]

So does this make Charlie a patent troll, like how Dish supporters called Tivo?

If it's a legitimate legal claim, no.

 

[Laddyboy]

I got to admit, it took them a long time (especially on the Monsoon/Hava side.)

I would guess it took them a while to research/uncover what the two companies relied on for their products. I wouldn't want to file suit until I had some basis for doing so. But that's just me knowing what judges sometime do to litigants that can't back up their pleadings.

 

[Mochuf]

If it's a legitimate legal claim, no.

Tivo's claims turned out to be legitimate. Yet that still doesn't stop people from making the troll statements.

 

[Gobucks]

Tivo's claims turned out to be legitimate. Yet that still doesn't stop people from making the troll statements.

I have never ever understood why people are like that. I could never be a "Fanboy" of a tech company or a cable/Satellite provider. I will go with who provides me the best value and technology. Right now that's Dish! Love my Hopper's. I love my iMac and Macbook Pro but can't stand the iPhone(same UI for 5 some years!!!) Apple can do better than that!

I don't think Charlie and Dish will be mad and cancel your service if you don't agree with every single thing they do. Just like AMC. It was never about the lawsuit..... yea right.

 

[the mack]

I have never ever understood why people are like that. I could never be a "Fanboy" of a tech company or a cable/Satellite provider

+1
But here at satguys, it is the norm......

 

[dare2be]

Just as the attack dogs are the norm as well. It's pathetic from both sides.

 

[whitewolf8214]

Just as the attack dogs are the norm as well. It's pathetic from both sides.

I agree it is pathetic

 

[DishSubLA]

Tivo's claims turned out to be legitimate. Yet that still doesn't stop people from making the troll statements.

No, it was never, in truth, proven to be true. Legitimate? Then you would have to concede that OJ Simpson's innocence is "legitimate." Courts too often get it WRONG in both criminal and civil cases when the facts presented simply can't lead one to a any conclusion or juries arrive at conclusions based about "feelings" or inductive reasoning, the preferred logic of the unwashed masses, which leads most often to false conclusions and always the possibility of the false conclusion as the logic is "bottom up."

 

[Stargazer]

This makes for some interesting reading which is entertainment for many.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Mochuf]

No, it was never, in truth, proven to be true. Legitimate? Then you would have to concede that OJ Simpson's innocence is "legitimate." Courts too often get it WRONG in both criminal and civil cases when the facts presented simply can't lead one to a any conclusion or juries arrive at conclusions based about "feelings" or inductive reasoning, the preferred logic of the unwashed masses, which leads most often to false conclusions and always the possibility of the false conclusion as the logic is "bottom up."

Echostar/Dish, ATT and Verizion all had out-of-court settlements with Tivo. No juries involved at all. Like it or not, Tivo's claims proved to be legit.

 

[riffjim4069]

Echostar/Dish, ATT and Verizion all had out-of-court settlements with Tivo. No juries involved at all. Like it or not, Tivo's claims proved to be legit.

Agreed...there is no getting around this fact. The other fact is many of Tivo's DVR patents will expire in 2018 so they will need to once again innovate, execute and deliver...or die.