AT&T to Pay $215 Million to TiVo

TiVo scored another major patent victory as AT&T agreed to pay the set-top box maker at least $215 million to settle litigation and acquire rights to use TiVo's intellectual property.

The settlement marks the latest gain from a string of lawsuits brought by TiVo, a pioneer in devices known as digital recorders, or DVRs, that has long accused many of its rivals of violating its patents. Under the terms of the settlement, AT&T agreed to pay TiVo $51 million upfront and $164 million in guaranteed payments through July 2018. AT&T will also pay incremental license fees based on subscriber numbers through that time should its own DVR subscriber base exceed certain levels, TiVo said.