Time-out called in online qual patent dispute
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US-- Rival online qual researchers Itracks and Artafact have called a temporary halt to court action in their patent dispute while the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) decides on a request for reexamination.
California-based Artafact has asked the PTO to review Patent No. 6,256,663, which is held by Itracks, as it believes the patent to be invalid.
The patent is for a “system and method of conducting focus groups using remotely located participants over a computer network”.
Itracks claims Artafact's Online Focus Group software and Diary Bulletin Board products infringe on this patent, and the Canadian firm went to court last year to seek an injunction and damages.
Artafact countersued with its claim that the patent was invalid, which Itracks disputes.
On 13 January, Artafact filed an Ex Parte Request for Reexamination with the PTO, which will decide within 90 days of that date whether to initiate a review.
Earlier today the District Court of Massachusetts granted a motion to stay legal proceedings until either the reexamination request is refused or a review is completed.
Author: Brian Tarran
