NetRatings Sues Coremetrics, Omniture Over Patents

Internet research firm NetRatings says it’s filed patent infringement lawsuits against two Web analytics firms, Coremetrics and Omniture.

The suits, filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware, allege both of the firms infringe on four patents relating to the collection, analysis and reporting of data concerning people’s computer usage, according to the plaintiff. NetRatings claims to hold or control six patents covering work in the area, including No. 5,675,510, which relates to a “computer use meter and analyzer,” and No. 5,796,952, which covers “a method and apparatus for tracking client interaction with a network resource and creating client profiles and resource database.”

NetRatings’ online research offerings include audience measurement, online ad measurement, a media planning tool, and a reach and frequency tool. Both Coremetrics and Omniture focus on providing Web site analytics.

“NetRatings has a strong heritage of both developing and acquiring innovative technologies to support our leading Internet media and market research products, and we have invested a significant amount of time and capital in building a comprehensive patent portfolio,” said William Pulver, president and CEO of NetRatings, in a statement.

More specifics of the complaints filed weren’t available at press time. Defendant Omniture wasn’t available for comment on the suit, and a Coremetrics spokesperson said the company hadn’t yet seen the complaint and therefore couldn’t respond.

“We will evaluate this claim and determine how best to proceed,” the spokesperson said.