A mysterious Honolulu-based IP company with a history in developing video-on-demand technology has re-emerged to sue AT&T and Dish Network over four streaming media patents released to pay TV set-tops and related mobile apps. 

Founded in 2001, and shuttered as a company that actually makes things in 2006, BBiTV said it still controls more than 60 U.S. patents, all based on the work of its chief technology officer, Milton Diaz. Represented by the law firm Feinberg Day Kramer Alberti Lim Tonkovich & Belloli LLP, BBiTV has filed three lawsuits in a Waco, Texas federal court, alleging that AT&T’s U-verse and DirecTV platforms, and Dish Network’s satellite TV service, have each violated four of its patents “specifically related to VOD services using set top box and mobile app technology.”

Included on the list for all three lawsuits is U.S. Patent No. 9,998,791, "Video-on-demand content delivery method for providing video-on-demand services to TV service subscribers," which was issued in June, 2018.

“Milton’s inventions have transformed the way millions of consumers around the world watch TV, movies and other content. At its core, streaming media technology as we know and love it comes from BBiTV,” said Clifton Kagawa, CEO of BBiTV, in a statement announcing the U-verse suit. “The use of these patented technologies without a license is not acceptable.”

In the “about” segment of its press release, BBiTV said it launched two “critical, first-to-market” development projects,” including an interactive community channel, and a web-based platform for “enabling direct-to-television video publishing.” The company said it also partnered with the erstwhile Time Warner Cable to establish the nation’s first interactive cable channel.

Reps for AT&T and Dish have yet to respond to MCN’s inquires for comment. 

A mysterious Honolulu-based IP company with a history in developing video-on-demand technology has re-emerged to sue AT&T and Dish Network over four streaming media patents released to pay TV set-tops and related mobile apps.

Founded in 2001, and shuttered as a company that actually makes things in 2006, BBiTV said it still controls more than 60 U.S. patents, all based on the work of its chief technology officer, Milton Diaz. Represented by the law firm Feinberg Day Kramer Alberti Lim Tonkovich & Belloli LLP, BBiTV has filed three lawsuits in a Waco, Texas federal court, alleging that AT&T’s U-verse and DirecTV platforms, and Dish Network’s satellite TV service, have each violated four of its patents “specifically related to VOD services using set top box and mobile app technology.”

Included on the list for all three lawsuits is U.S. Patent No. 9,998,791, "Video-on-demand content delivery method for providing video-on-demand services to TV service subscribers," which was issued in June, 2018.

“Milton’s inventions have transformed the way millions of consumers around the world watch TV, movies and other content. At its core, streaming media technology as we know and love it comes from BBiTV,” said Clifton Kagawa, CEO of BBiTV, in a statement announcing the U-verse suit. “The use of these patented technologies without a license is not acceptable.”

In the “about” segment of its press release, BBiTV said it launched two “critical, first-to-market development projects,” including an interactive community channel, and a web-based platform for “enabling direct-to-television video publishing.” The company said it also partnered with the erstwhile Time Warner Cable to establish the nation’s first interactive cable channel.

Reps for AT&T and Dish have yet to respond to MCN’s inquires for comment. 

Technology licensing company TiVo said Wednesday that its cost to litigate patent disputes increased by $5.6 million in the second quarter, as it continues to lock horns with Comcast.

TiVo rendered its Q2 report a day after it suffered a defeat in its fight to get Comcast to pay licensing fees used for technologies in the cable company’s X1 video system. Comcast remains an important holdout in TiVo’s quest to put the pay TV ecosystem under patent license, and TiVo has been spending accordingly in court to put the cable operator under heel.

Related: Comcast Wins Battle in Patent War with TiVo

On Wednesday, TiVo reported a 13% slide in platform solutions revenue to $72.2 million, as the company continues to steer away from selling hardware. TiVo did, however, tout new licensing business in the cable industry for its next-generation platform, with RCN, TDS, Atlantic Broadband and Service Electric all signing on in the second quarter.

TiVo also said part of the revenue slide stemmed from a notable consumer electronics company being “out of license”—a condition TiVo said it expects to resolve soon.

In total, TiVo saw overall revenue decline by 17% to $172.8 million in the second quarter.

TiVo did report a significant drop in operating expenses, which included a $6.8 million reduction tied directly to exiting the hardware business.

“We delivered a solid second quarter and we continue to stay ahead of our internal plan, including optimizing our costs,” said interim president and CEO Raghu Rau, who said he’d stay on indefinitely. For TiVo, it was the first earnings report since the abrupt departure of former CEO Enrique Rodriguez, who left in June to become CTO of Liberty Global. 

Related: TiVo Shares Dip After CEO Departure

“I am committed to remain as CEO as long as it takes to drive the strategic process to a logical, successful conclusion that maximizes stockholder value,” Rau added.

TiVo shares were up 5.35% in after-hours trading.