Location-based social network and check-in site Foursquare has been served its first patent infringement notice by Mobile Commerce Framework (MCF).
According to court documents posted online at Priorsmart.com, the infringement involves a “subscription-based system for providing commerce information for one or more mobile devices for one or more merchants. Some techniques employed feature a subscription-based method for presenting commercial resources to a mobile device.”
The description continues: “The method involves receiving mobile device user information relating to a geographic location to locate one or more merchants within a subscription-based shopping network, and receiving mobile device user information relating to a merchant type within the subscription-based shopping network.”
The suit was filed in the district court of southern California. Foursquare was not immediately available for comment on the matter.
Foursquare reported growth of 3,400 percent in 2010. The company counted its 6 millionth user in January. The company said that 381.6 million people checked in worldwide last year, including one from the International Space Station.
Filed Under: Industry regulations