A New York federal judge has denied research company TRA's request for a preliminary injunction barring Kantar Media from proceeding with its RapidView media planning tool.
TRA was hoping for
an injunction at least until its law suit against Kantar, alleging patent infringement is resolved. WPP and Kantar actually filed suit first, alleging breach of contract with a request for a ruling
that it did not infringe on TRA patents.
Both services match consumer purchase data with TV audience figures.
TRA has had a service in the marketplace for the several years, with WPP
and Kantar as early investors. Kantar launched its service in 2011.
Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, of the federal court in Manhattan, concluded that Kantar Media had raised a “substantial
question about the validity” of the patent claim on which TRA had based its motion for a preliminary injunction.