eUniverse pleads ignorance over Tumbleweed suit
- Added:
- Dec 31, 2001
Tumbleweed said that it was suing eUniverse for infringing its patent for “private, trackable URLs” that allow online providers to bind content to a digital identity for delivery of applications such as online marketing.
However, eUniverse's VP and general counsel Christopher Lipp claimed that Tumbleweed had only contacted him about the infringement a week ago and hadn't given him enough time to grasp what they were on about:
“Before we could fully determine the merits of the claims and have an initial telephonic discussion to understand their technology, Tumbleweed decided to publicise the filing of a lawsuit concerning this matter.”
He also accused Tumbleweed of using the media “in the hope of coercing eUniverse into quickly agreeing to a licensing arrangement. Such tactic having failed, we have referred the case to outside counsel and will respond appropriately in due course.”
Tumbleweed recently signed two patent licensing agreements for its technology with eUniverse rivals American Greetings and Hallmark Cards.