Overture sues Google over search patent

lokem · Apr 6, 2002

Just noticed this....

Overture sues Google over search patent

By Stefanie Olsen and Gwendolyn Mariano
Staff Writers, CNET News.com
April 5, 2002, 3:10 PM PT

http://news.com.com/2100-1023-876861.html

Update: Paid-search listing company Overture Services has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Google, saying the rival search service overstepped its bounds with its ad-placement tools.

Overture said the suit, filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, applies to all Google products that are not related to its mathematical search methods--techniques whose results have endeared Google to Web surfers the world over for their objectivity and relevance. The lawsuit follows a similar case that Overture filed against FindWhat.com in January.

"We've recently become aware that (Google is) infringing on our patent, and it's our policy to protect our intellectual property," said Overture spokesman Al Duncan.

Google denied that it infringes on the patent.

"Basically we've analyzed the patent and determined that we do not infringe on any valid claim that it contains," said Cindy McCaffrey, a Google spokeswoman.

TechSpot

Overture sues Google over search patent

lokem Newcomer, in training