NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Online car buying information provider Autobytel Inc. said Tuesday it filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against online insurance quote provider Insweb Corp. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, seeking damages and a permanent injunction.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Irvine, Calif.-based Autobytel said the suit also names as defendants Leadpoint Inc., Internet Brands Inc. and Auto Internet Marketing Inc.

The company alleges infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,282,517, entitled "Real Time Communication of Purchase Requests," but said it can't be sure the patent will be enforceable or the action will be successful.

InsWeb Chairman and Chief Executive Hussein Enan said the company was suprised to hear public news reports regarding the filing of the lawsuit.

"We were not previously contacted by Autobytel nor have we been formally served with the complaint," Enan said in a statement.

Shares of InsWeb fell $1.59, or 14.7 percent, to $9.20 in afternoon trading, while shares of Autobytel fell 5 cents to $3.

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