Google Now Owns Seven deCarta LBS Patents

Bill Slawski noted the change:

I noticed earlier today that deCarta transferred 7 patents to Google in an assignment reported at the USPTO as being executed on July 31st and recorded with the patent office on August 28th. ...

They involve such things as sharing of GPS-based (or other technology-based) locations among users and even connecting users based upon their locations. Another patent involves triggering a location based service such as receiving a notification when within a certain distance from a place such as a favorite restaurant. An additional patent involves sending advertisements to people as they approach specific businesses. [An update based on Prioleau below, identifies them as coming from the 2003 acquisition of Gravitate.]

Slawski goes on to note that recent defections of unhappy Google Maps users to deCarta, along with whatever funds came to the company from the patent transaction may help the company to continue to compete.

- SEO By the Sea via @cageyjames

- Commentary by Marc Prioleau (once of deCarta)