Company says Landmark is infringing on its patent

By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 3, 2008

NORFOLK

An Illinois company filed a federal lawsuit claiming Landmark Media Enterprises LLC is unlawfully infringing on its patent in how it operates an apartment rental Web site.

The company is seeking millions in damages and a permanent injunction that, if successful, would shut down Landmark's apartment rental Web site, ForRent.com.

Landmark is a Norfolk-based media holding company that oversees operations of Dominion Enterprises, which runs the Web site and other classified advertising Web sites and publications. Landmark also owns The Virginian-Pilot.

ShopNTown LLC, based in Lombard, Ill., operates a classified ad Web site. The lawsuit says Landmark operates its site "in direct accord with the language" of ShopNTown's patent. "If Landmark's foregoing activities continue, plaintiff believes damages will be millions of dollars," the lawsuit says.

The company is also seeking an injunction stopping Landmark from continuing to operate ForRent.com. No hearings have been set.

Guy "Rusty" Friddell, Landmark's executive vice president and general counsel, said he could not comment, because he had not yet seen the lawsuit.

Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, tim.mcglone@pilotonline.com

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Too common scam

Submitted by ILikeSnacks on Wed, 12/03/2008 at 8:48 am.

These patent scams are way too common. Software patents should be very hard to get and only on specific complex algorithms. If someone else can duplicate the "invention" in a week, it's not an invention. Hopefully the pilot will fight these scammers in court rather than pay them off which is what they want.