Ariba to pay EPlus $37 million to settle patent case

Ariba Inc., a maker of software that helps businesses manage costs, agreed Feb. 14, 2005 to pay $37 million to settle a patent-infringement lawsuit in D N Va by competitor EPlus Inc. Ariba and EPlus also agreed to cross-license their patents.

Phillip G. Norton, chief executive of the winning party EPlus noted the settlement "is in the best interest of EPlus and our customers as it eliminates the uncertainty of the trial and inevitable appeals process which can take several years,"