How TV Receivers Remind You to Return from Commercial Breaks
A system for television receivers that detects when you change channels during a commercial break and automatically prompts you to return to your original show before the ads end.
Original patent title: “Broadcast content resume reminder”
A system for television receivers that detects when you change channels during a commercial break and automatically prompts you to return to your original show before the ads end. Granted to EchoStar UK Holdings Ltd in 2017 with 22 claims and 7 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a method for a TV receiver to track your viewing habits during commercial breaks. When you switch away from a channel currently airing a show, the receiver starts a timer or monitors your channel-surfing behavior. Once the system predicts the commercial break is ending, it displays an on-screen notification. This notification includes an icon that, when selected, automatically switches the tuner back to the original channel so you do not miss the return of your program.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems that switch channels automatically without user interaction.
- Does not cover content-based ad-skipping technologies that physically remove commercials from the stream.
- Does not cover mobile app-based reminders that operate independently of the TV receiver's tuner hardware.
- Does not cover non-broadcast content, such as streaming services that do not utilize traditional channel-based commercial breaks.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system uses the geographic region and the specific type of programming to dynamically calculate the expected length of a commercial break, rather than relying on a fixed, universal timer.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Smart cable set-top boxes
Satellite television receivers with integrated DVR functionality
Hybrid broadcast-broadband television interfaces
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology addresses the 'channel surfing' problem where viewers lose track of time during commercial breaks and miss the start of their show. It is significant for cable and satellite providers looking to maintain viewer engagement and prevent users from abandoning a channel permanently after a break.
Filed
March 7, 2014
Granted
March 21, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
EchoStar (the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →) and other major satellite and cable providers like Comcast or DirecTV utilize similar logic in their set-top box interfaces. These companies continue to refine EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data to improve the accuracy of these types of viewer notifications.
Market impact
This patent represents an effort by traditional television providers to replicate the 'stickiness' of streaming platforms. By automating the return to live programming, it helps broadcasters maintain viewership metrics that are otherwise threatened by the ease of channel switching.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a method for a TV receiver to track your viewing habits during commercial breaks. When you switch away from a channel currently airing a show, the receiver starts a timer or monitors your channel-surfing behavior. Once the system predicts the commercial break is ending, it displays an on-screen notification. This notification includes an icon that, when selected, automatically switches the tuner back to the original channel so you do not miss the return of your program.
The clever bit
The system uses the geographic region and the specific type of programming to dynamically calculate the expected length of a commercial break, rather than relying on a fixed, universal timer.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems that switch channels automatically without user interaction.
- Does not cover content-based ad-skipping technologies that physically remove commercials from the stream.
- Does not cover mobile app-based reminders that operate independently of the TV receiver's tuner hardware.
- Does not cover non-broadcast content, such as streaming services that do not utilize traditional channel-based commercial breaks.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
18/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$109K – $349K
Midpoint $218K · 7.7 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hussain, Z. (2017). How TV Receivers Remind You to Return from Commercial Breaks (U.S. Patent No. 9,602,875). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9602875/netflix-preview-autoplay
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How TV Receivers Remind You to Return from Commercial Breaks cover?
A system for television receivers that detects when you change channels during a commercial break and automatically prompts you to return to your original show before the ads end.
Who owns patent US 9602875?
EchoStar UK Holdings Ltd owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 21, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9602875 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology addresses the 'channel surfing' problem where viewers lose track of time during commercial breaks and miss the start of their show. It is significant for cable and satellite providers looking to maintain viewer engagement and prevent users from abandoning a channel permanently after a break.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems that switch channels automatically without user interaction.
Patent monitoring