Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 15, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
artec technologies AG, based in Diepholz near Bremen, is currently examining a possible patent-law infringement by Arcor AG & Co. KG of a method for the network-based recording and playback of multimedia streams. In June 2006, the German Patent and Trademark Office finally granted artec technologies patent protection for the method, which had already been developed in 2000 and filed for examination in 2001. A special feature of the patented method is the possibility of being able to retrieve and play back with a time shift via video stream the content continuously recorded on a central server while it is still being recorded. The viewer can thus watch programmes already running from the beginning when switching on late, stop the current programme and fast-forward and rewind to desired scenes. Functions of this kind are common under the designation “Timeshift” in hard-disk recorders and set-top boxes. In contrast to the timeshift function in hard-disk recorders and set-top boxes, however, the recordings in the method developed and patented by artec technologies do not take place in the device itself, but are stored centrally on a server. The content stored on the server can then be individually retrieved by a large number of users while it is still being recorded. This makes intermediate storage on hard disks in the living room superfluous.
At CeBIT 2007, Arcor presented a novel IPTV offering and announced its imminent market launch. Central to the IPTV service is to be the function described by Arcor as “Timshift Restart”. Among other things, this is intended to allow users to watch programmes already running again from the beginning at the press of a button. In September 2007, Arcor announced further details of the intended IPTV offering. From the point of view of artec technologies, there are various indications that the functions announced by Arcor take place in infringement of the method protected by patent by artec technologies. The lawyers of artec technologies, including specialists in patent law, are therefore currently examining possible claims against Arcor for infringement of patent rights.
Artec technologies assigns considerable strategic importance to its patent. The method developed seven years ago is currently proving to be one of the central functions in the construction of future-looking IPTV services. The company has already sold its systems worldwide to telecommunications providers, cable network operators and television broadcasters. In Germany too, a telecommunications provider uses the technology of the North Germans in its IPTV platform. In future, artec technologies expects significantly rising demand and large sales revenues for server-based systems for IPTV.
