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 […]
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 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.
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