eHarmony Defeats Street Spirit Identity Verification Patent

A California federal judge ruled that a patent that’s been asserted in suits against eHarmony Inc., as well as the owner of dating apps Tinder and Hinge, is abstract and thus ineligible for patent protection.

U.S. Patent No. 8,850,535 belongs to a Street Spirit IP LLC, a non-practicing entity affiliated with Dynamic IP Deals LLC, or DynaIP, a patent monetization company based in Georgia. The patent purports to describe an identity verification system that allows networks to screen for cyberstalkers and cyberbullies. Street Spirit asserted it in separate suits against eHarmony and Match Group Inc., which ...