A three-judge US appeals court panel signaled it is likely to rule at least partly in favor of TiVo in its patent dispute with EchoStar Communications, an Associated Press report said.
The Associated Press report said EchoStar is seeking to overturn a lower court decision last year that ruled the Englewood, Colo.-based satellite broadcaster had infringed on patented TiVo technology that allows viewers to record one program while watching another.
The court awarded TiVo $89.6 million in damages, the report said.
TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, alleging that its digital video recorders infringed on TiVo's 'time warp' technology, the report said.
TiVo, based in Alviso, Calif., pioneered digital recorders that allow viewers to pause, rewind and fast forward live television shows.
Donald Dunner, EchoStar's lawyer, argued before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that the trial court construed TiVo's patent too broadly, the report said.
Judge S. Jay Plager, however, appeared unconvinced, the report added.