E-marketing services provider cool savings.com inc. and planet U, an online promotions network for consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers, have announced settlement of their patent infringement disputes. Chicago-based CoolSavings initiated a suit against planet U in 1998 for infringement of CoolSavings’ Interactive Marketing Network and Process Using Electronic Certificates patent. San Francisco-based planet U, in turn, filed suit in 2000 against CoolSavings for infringement of planet U’s Electronic Coupon Distribution patent. The settlement ends both suits and grants both companies certain licenses under the other’s patents. Although specific terms of the agreement are confidential, each company has acknowledged the validity and enforceability of the patent at issue in the respective suits. As part of the settlement, planet U will pay CoolSavings for certain licensing rights. The suit against planet U was one of eight lawsuits filed by CoolSavings, all asserting infringement of CoolSavings’ patent covering technology for distributions of coupons via the Internet. CoolSavings has also recently settled patent litigation with iVillage, CouponSurfer, Xadvantage and emaildirect.

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