What do AOL, Inc., Google. Inc., IAC Search & Media, Inc., Gannett Company, Inc. and Target Corporation have in common? They were all named today in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by I/P Engine, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for unlawfully using systems that incorporate features claimed in two patents owned by I/P Engine, Inc.
I/P Engine’s patents are directed to relevance filtering technology used in the search engine industry in producing better search results. It is also the dominant technology used in search advertising to position high quality advertisements.
In standing his ground, Andrew K. Lang, Chief Executive Officer of I/P Engine and co-inventor of the patents, argued:
“These patents, which we own, apply to relevance filtering techniques that are fundamental to the technology employed by the defendants in their highly profitable search business. The defendants have infringed on our patents. We are committed to upholding our rights with respect to these patents. We have the resources and focus to assert our intellectual property.”
The patents were actually part of a portfolio of 8 patents that I/P Engine purchased from Lycos, Inc. which they bought as well from WiseWire Corporation. The latter is an entitiy founded by Lang together with Donald Kosak. As part of the acquisition, Lang and Kosak both joined Lycos. They are now shareholders and members of I/P Engine’s executive team.
In the meantime, the battle for search supremacy continues.
