Friday, August 14. 2009

Judges Invalidates Encyclopedia Britannica Patent on Interactive Maps

This case has been brewing for some years. Encyclopedia Britannica filed suit against a seven GPS vendors (TomTom and Toyota among them) alleging patent infringement on an old patent about providing data on interactive maps. The case was tossed out by US district judge Lee Yeakel in Austin, Texas since the patent was determined to be invalid.

The patent related to displaying information about locations, something EB did in its electronic encyclopedias. The company felt that invention was being used in navigation devices and began filing suit against GPS and in-car navigation device makers in 2006 and 2007.

- Business Mirror

Friday, August 7. 2009

What to do if your GPS Fails

Jalopnik has the answer from Ben Wojdyla in article titled: How to read a paper map like an old-timer.

via Gizmodo

Waze Business Model: Collect Data and License It

I noted waze when it came out for the Android beginning in May of this year. This week it debuted for the iPhone (press release) with commentary from the company's community geographer, Di-Ann Eisnor. (It seems she still holds a position at Platial.)

Continue reading "Waze Business Model: Collect Data and License It"

Thursday, August 6. 2009

Impact of Real Time Routing: More Traffic

Reader Kevin points out the latest from the Freakonics blog:

Two physicists and a computer scientist used Google maps to study traffic in Boston, London, and New York, and found that when people use real-time driving maps to try to pick the fastest routes, traffic slows down. Their solution: close a few roads so drivers have fewer options.

The citations go back to a Christian Science Monitor article from last year citing a scientific paper (pdf) from August 2008.
The bit of irony for me? I saw Steven D. Levitt, one of the authors of Freakonics speak at the Tele Atlas conference a few years ago!

Tuesday, August 4. 2009

Golf Course GPS Firm Files for Bankruptcy

GPS Industries Inc. which manufacturers GPS units for use in golf, is reorganizing under the Chapter 11 bankruptcy code. The Sarasota, Florida firm moved from Canada within the last few months. It's filing listing assets of between $1 million and $10 million and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million. The downturn in the economy did not treat the firm well.

- Tampa Bay Business Journal

Podcast: In the News - State Stimulus Sites and User Generated Corrections

This week two news items peaked our interest: Good Jobs First, a Washington research center, released a report giving mediocre grades to state websites that aim to be transparent about the distribution of federal stimulus dollars. One of the criteria considered? Maps. Second, is there a trend in local news related to sat nav? Is there a move away from "two techs capturing data" stories to how users can get involved with collection and update?

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