Zillow's Zestimates—an algorithm-driven feature that estimates a property's worth on the market—are so deliciously zesty that everyone wants a bite! The online real estate database has sued its competitor Trulia over alleged copyright infringement, calling Trulia Estimates—a feature the site introduced last year—a "blatant and ongoing copying of Zillow's innovative approach to home valuation." The patent in question? Why, that would be U.S. Patent Number 7,970,674, otherwise known as the "Automatically Determining A Current Value For A Real Estate Property, Such As A Home, That Is Tailored To Input From A Human User, Such As Its Owner" patent (duh), which helps determine a home's values based on factors such as square footage, bedroom count, recent sales of similar homes, and more. According to The Next Web, which has the court docs, Zillow is seeking a permanent injunction for Trulia Estimates.
· Oh snap: Zillow sues online real estate rival Trulia over patent [The Next Web via Curbed Philly]