A Russian search engine is going after Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and others it says are breaching its patent on a search technique. Quintura has been operating a visual search engine interface, which shows results in a relational, contextual cloud format, since 2005 and was last year awarded the latest of eight U.S. patents.
Last May, Google introduced its own little-used visual search interface, Wonder Wheel, tucked away in its search options, that offers similar functionality. Quintura CEO Yakov Sadchikov told paidContent:UK Google and others may be infringing his patent, saying he has contacted them and would be seeking further action.
“The strategy is to make all those search engines and tools that utilize a graphical user interface that is covered by our patent license it,” Sadchikov said. “We have identified several companies and services that could have infringed the patent. We plan to approach them at the same time with same request.
“Since the patent was issued on December 1, we can claim any damages from that date. For now, it