Taiwanese Research Firm Claims Patent Law Suit Against Google Search Products

Institute for Information, located in Taipei, Taiwan, has brought a patent lawsuit against Google in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. According to the case, the research institution claims Google Search, Google+ Local and Google Places infringes on the Institute for Information’s patented information retrieval system. The patent in question was […]

Chat with SearchBot

google-legal-law-featuredInstitute for Information, located in Taipei, Taiwan, has brought a patent lawsuit against Google in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. According to the case, the research institution claims Google Search, Google+ Local and Google Places infringes on the Institute for Information’s patented information retrieval system.

The patent in question was issued to the Institute for Information in January of 2005. Titled, “Information retrieval system with a neuro-fuzzy structure,” under US Patent Number 6,845,354, Law360.com stated the Institute for Information’s patent covers:

An intelligent information system “capable of having a customizable thesaurus, tolerating erroneous inputs, performing and processing indefinite data and receiving software components.”

The law suit argues that Google has knowingly marketed search systems and services protected by the patent without authorization.  Because Google Search, Google+ Local and Google Places allow users to find information related to search queries with information retrieval systems, these products infringe on what Institute for Information believes is their patent and is seeking damages, enhanced damages, prejudgment and post-judgment interest, and attorney fees and costs.

This is the second lawsuit of this nature filed by Institute for Information. The first was a patent complaint against the search systems of LucidWorks Inc. filed earlier this year.

Institute for Information US patent


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Amy Gesenhues
Contributor
Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Search Engine Land, MarTech and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.

Get the must-read newsletter for search marketers.