Microsoft Patent Monetizes Your TV Remote

theodp writes "Microsoft, reports GeekWire, is seeking a patent on monetizing the buttons of your TV remote. In its application for a patent on 'Control-based Content Pricing,' Microsoft explains how one can jack up the cable bill of those who dare fast-forward past a diaper commercial or replay a sports highlight. From the patent application: 'If a user initiates a navigation control input to advance past (e.g., skip over) an advertisement, the cost of a requested on-demand movie may be increased. Similarly, if a user initiates a replay of a sporting event, the user may be charged for the replay control input and for each subsequent view control input.'"

Fortunately I don't habe a TV remote

[gweihir]

In fact, I do not have a TV and dropped that waste of time about 8 years ago. Never missed it since then.

With the amount of stupidity that idiot box pours out these days, that sheer amorality of this patent does not surprise me. The source does not either.

I will always make sure...

[Anonymous Coward]

...that my TV is receive-only. No pay-TV, no on-demand, just unencrypted broadcasts. If you can't deliver that, I will just stop watching. Your move.

Re:too late

[Anonymous Coward]

Same here, what I'd like to know is if they will use their other patented / patent application stuff to really ream it down your throat.

Eye tracking with a camera, monitor your "blood pressure, heart rate, etc." Maybe use it to show commercials for statins. I don't know.

I did my part to help Microsoft go under. I've boycotted their products since 2005, and haven't bought a single thing from them. I keep a copy of XP SP2 in a vm just in case, but it never gets used, and will be obsolete soon anyway...

Fortunately, I don't have a TV at the moment, and no remote, I wonder what this tech will do to the battery life. More waste surely.

Mediaroom

[rogueippacket]

Considering a number of large television providers use Microsoft Mediaroom (which requires Microsoft certified set-top boxes, most of which are PVR capable) today, there is already a large platform this patent could be deployed to. But I guess it's a sign of the times - upfront subscriptions are slowly disappearing, with pay-per-use content (such as Video on Demand) and Micro-transactions taking over. Who knows, maybe we will see an overall reduction in subscription costs with patents like this, but probably not any time soon. I don't know if the average broadcast television subscriber is ready to be nickel-and-dimed for skipping a commercial yet.

Might be a "Good Thing"...

[X!0mbarg]

Think about it this way: If anyone does try to implement this type of thing, they have to pay Micro$oft for the Patent.
Now, if they don't wish to put such a financial burden on a system such as this, (thus increasing its cost, and reducing its appeal to the end user), they'd opt to leave such a feature out.
Active DISCOURAGEMENT of a Bad Idea by Patenting it, so they can actually DENY it to folks, and the right to Sue if anyone actually Infringes!
Big Oil has been doing this for years, tho: Buying up high fuel efficiency ideas, patenting them, and Denying them to anyone, and suing them into the ground if they try to bypass their patent.

Not that I'm For such a "feature" on any system I'd subscribe to. This would be a decent way to head such a heinous money-grab off at the pass!

Maybe "Uncle Bills' Kids" aren't as bad as we all thought...

That, or I'm simply seeing a possibility that others are far more likely to Implement than avoid...

In THAT case, say Hello to rampant 'Product Placement' as revenue! After all, I don't see ANYONE wanting a system like this anywhere near their wallet!

Re:too late

[houstonbofh]

Well, it will drive more to piracy. And they will think it is just cost...

Re:too late

[tqk]

At the end of a commercial break there will be a series of questions to see if you were paying attention.

I can think of *so* many ways to leverage this kind of thinking:

i) shoes that detect when they're being put on, automatically debiting your chequing acct. for each use, and for each step taken in them.

ii) Shirts that detect when they're being buttoned up. Ditto for zippers. Add modifiers for when used long sleeved, or rolled up.

iii) sunglasses that charge per solar day.

iv) clothing that detects seasons and charges by the year.

v) & etc.

I'm glad I'm not going to live long enough to see that world. The rest of you are welcome to it.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Just no

[StewBaby2005]

"and do absolutely nothing except provide for 'snack/bathroom break' time during the show" I wonder if Advertising is responsible for the rise in obesity in the US population then? Isn't it a bit like Pavlov/Behavioural ? Once you get up to fix a snack during a break, you ALWAYS get up to fix a snack during a break, except when you are going to the restroom to relieve yourself of the aforementioned snack?

Re:too late

[kent_eh]

I managed to make my cable bill go down recently.
They did an across the board price increase, so I called and dropped a few packages so that I'm now paying less.
And after a few months, I find that I'm not missing the channels that I dropped.

The next price hike, I'll likely do the same thing.
I may not even wait that long. As the content to advertising ratio keeps getting worse, it makes me want to spend even less time in front of the tube.