DirecTV, TWC, Verizon Settle Patent Infringement Claim

Three multichannel video programming distributors settled DVR-related patent infringement cases brought by the same firm, Custom Media Technologies. Custom Media sued eight companies in August 2013 in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware, alleging that the defendants were violating Custom Media's patent for a “Method and System For Customizing and Distributing Presentations For User Sites.” The 17-year-old patent involves distributing video, audio and text over various networks -- such as the Internet, satellite or cable systems -- for on-demand use. Cisco -- which manufactures many of the DVRs -- in 2014 sought a Patent and Trademark Office review of the Custom Media-owned patent, but the PTO declined earlier this year. Monday, the suits against DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Verizon were dismissed as court paperwork indicated the companies had resolved Custom Media's claims. A suit against AT&T was settled last week. Terms of those settlements weren't made public. Still outstanding are patent complaints against Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications and Dish Network. None of the involved companies had any comment Tuesday.