CNET: Patent owner stakes claim in Net ad suit

InternetAd Systems, a TechSearch-owned company designed to enforce intellectual property in the online advertising sphere, filed suits against ESPN, the New York Times and Travelocity, claiming that they violate its intellectual property controlling the "invention" of interstitial advertising.

The company claims that its four patents - involving innovations developed by David Judson - include some forms of pop-up and pop-under advertising as well. The patent numbers are 5,572,643, 5,737,619, 6,185,586 and 6,457,025.