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Card Activation Technologies Inc., a Chicago-based company that holds a patent on point-of-sale technology used for activating and processing prepaid transactions, Tuesday filed patent-infringement lawsuits against five companies. Named in the suits, which the company filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, are Whole Food Markets Inc., Casual Male Retail Group Inc., BeBe Stores Inc., Panda Restaurant Group and Barneys of New York Inc. Card Activation wants royalties from the companies on the activation and processing of their gift cards, and it wants the court to enjoin them from processing gift card payments until each signs a licensing agreement. The company has filed 12 patent-infringement lawsuits during the past two years. Last week it settled with OfficeMax Inc., which is based in Naperville, Ill. (CardLine, 1/21). Earlier this month, Card Activation reached a settlement agreement with Sears Holding Corp., the giant retailer based in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (CardLine, 1/6). The companies did not disclose terms of their agreements.
