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.'"

Comments

too late

[alphatel]

I skipped this article.

Re:too late

[mcneely.mike]

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.

Charge even more for shirts coming off... ditto for bras, ditto for underpants. Microsoft could kill sex with one patent! (Guess that's because they are micro and soft?) :-)

Re:too late

[sixtyeight]

Then I for one am glad they don't build Pacemakers.

let's be consistent

[tverbeek]

Does the patent cover giving the customer a refund if she pushes the "off" button?

Re:let's be consistent

[Anonymous Coward]

No, no, no, the service is to supply you with the opportunity to watch these shows as streamed. Fast forwarding... woah. That is skipping ahead, dear boy/girl/thing. That is using excess media enjoyment entertainment. Why, user, you are stealing when you fast forward. You should be glad we aren't suing you for theft instead of offering you an instant settlement.

In fact, by turning off your television you are wasting entertainment that could have gone elsewhere. Refund, dear boy/girl/thing? You should be glad we aren't charging you for not constantly leaving your television on so you can hear commercials in the background.

Re:let's be consistent

[Opportunist]

Or do I get paid if I fast forward through the movie to get to the ads because they have better script, acting and are overall more entertaining?

Re:Fortunately I don't habe a TV remote

[Anonymous Coward]

Obligatory Onion
http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/

Re:Pointless, will not work without a monopoly

[fish waffle]

why would anyone use a service that forced them to pay to skip ads

You mean like slashdot subscriptions?

Replay advertisement for free TV?

[Anonymous Coward]

So if you replay the advertisement instead of skipping it, you should be charged less for the movie. Yay!

Alternate motive?

[kpainter]

I wonder if they plan use this to charge people for skipping Windows 8?

next thing you know...

[s0litaire]

...we'll start getting "Drive by Rewinds"

A bunch of geeks high on red-bull and cheesy puffs in a 4x4 armed to the teeth with universal remote controls.
Driving the suburbs, Sega beats blaring from their iPhones, aiming their remo's at the houses pressing the rewind button.

Costing the poor householder $$$ in MS rewind fees...