Digital Gadgets

IBM Applies for “DVR on Your Remote” Patent

Several blogs are reporting on a new patent recently applied by IBM claiming to store next generation DVR content onto your remote control. IBM’s new focus in seeking patents is to throw in as many gimmicks as possible in order to fend off any claims of prior art. How else to explain this recent application, seeking a patent for “retrospective television viewing?” The application seeks to patent instant replay functions. But not any old instant replay. These are instant replays on a DVR. In a picture-in-picture window. With the data stored in the remote control. Okay, IBM, you win.

The invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for recording a television broadcast, and a retrospective section of the record. These enable a television viewer to use a television control to select and store a retrospective section of a recorded television channel, while watching the channel.

The retrospective section typically comprises a section of the channel that has just been watched by the viewer, so that an immediate replay of the retrospective section corresponds to an “instant” replay. An example method includes the steps of generating a record of the television broadcast, and operating a television remote control to select from the record, while viewing the television broadcast, a retrospective section of the record. The method further may include storing the retrospective section in the television remote control. We’re pretty sure nobody’s covered this exact combo of features before. And we’re pretty sure nobody’s going to rush out and manufacture anything based on this either.