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Google, AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo...oh my! Each of these companies were recently sued for patent infringement concerning their respective "competitive bidding" platforms. Performance Pricing filed the suit for violation of a 1999 patent entitled "Systems and methods for transacting business over a global communications network such as the Internet."
The patent clearly illustrates a platform in which sellers provide the following:
"a product/service within a specified price range, and buyers accept the offer, in exchange for the opportunity to close the transaction at the lowest price offered by achieving a high score during the collateral activity."
This description is blatantly similar to the advertising platforms available through Google AdWords, AOL Search Marketplace, Yahoo Search Marketing, and Microsoft adCenter. However, the initial filing does not specify advertising models, including only "video game, electronic board game, sports bet, card game, or any other activity" as potential applications.
Performance Pricing's lawsuit is the latest in a barrage of claims against technology companies, which prompted requests from Google and others to pass patent reform legislation. In early September, the House of Representatives passed the Patent Reform Act expected to go before Senate in the near future.
[via InformationWeek]