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October 24, 2002

SAN DIEGO - A technology company based here has sued more than 50 companies - including DeBrand Fine Chocolates, Fort Wayne, Ind. - claiming their e-commerce web sites infringe upon terms of its two U.S. patents, according to an Information Week article.

PanIP LLC's patents, No. 5,576,951 and No. 6,289,319, cover, respectively, an "automated sales and services system," and an "automatic business and financial transaction-processing system." 

A group of defendants are pooling together resources to fight the PanIP litigation. The group, led by Tim Beere, co-owner of DeBrand Fine Chocolates, has set up an informational site, www.youmaybenext.com, to spread word of the lawsuits. Many small companies doing business on the Web are potential targets, Beere said, in an interview with Information Week. "We're interested in stopping this," he added. "We're fighting this fight so you don't have to, because it's going to come to your doorstep next." 

Other specialty food companies being sued, according to www.youmaybenext.com, include: Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co., Seattle; Charlie's Pastries, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; River City Meat Co., Kansas City, Mo.; Lacas Coffee Co., Pennsauken, N.J.: The Little Pie Co., New York; and, Three Dog Bakery, Kansas City, Mo.