First, Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) took TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO) to court. Now, TiVo has returned the favor, alleging infringement of four DVR patents.
Cisco's lawsuit wants TiVo to void the disputed patents, something TiVo is loath to do because it is in the midst of seperate litigation over the same matter.
The battle escalates an ongoing war by TiVo against multiple companies that purchased DVRs from Cisco's Scientific Atlanta brand.
Cisco maintains things could be solved if TiVo granted a broad license to the company's DVR technology. However the DVR set-top box maker doesn't want to do so because it would likely impede its capacity to gain revenue from its lawsuits.
Whatever the case, TiVo has been particularly litigious when it comes to its patents.
It settled a lawsuit with AT&T (NYSE: T) for $215 million and monthly licensing fees and is going after individual Cisco customers like Verizon (NYSE: VZ). It also wants Cisco to pay compensatory damages.
The case--TiVo Inc vs. Cisco Systems, No. 2:12-cv-00311--is being heard in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in Marshall.
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