British Telecommunications has filed a civil suit in a Delaware court alleging that some Google products and services including Android, and its search, music, map, and location-based advertising infringe on one or more of six of its patents.
- PC World
In the wake of the devastation from tropical storm Sendong in central and southern Philippines, Google's Crisis Response Team has deployed a Crisis Map to help users find evacuation centers, donation drop-off points, and official updates from relief agencies.
There's a People Finder tool, too.
- GMA News
Share a Carol with Google Maps Street View lets you create and send a virtual Christmas card with some Christmas carollers singing on top of your own Street View scene.
- Google Maps Mania
by Adena Schutzberg on 12/22 at 06:56 AM |
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The story is sourced to SEO By the Sea which in turn sites the US Patent Office database:
From the USPTO assignments database, it appears that Google has acquired Facet Technologies interest in the assigment of a number of their patents, which I’ve listed below. The execution data on the assignments is listed as June 21, 2011, and the assignments were recorded with the patent office on August 8, 2010. The USTPO database doesn’t provide any details behind the transaction such as costs or other considerations involved or licensing agreements that Facet Tech might have in place with other companies, or if Google acquired the company, its maps databases or just some of its intellectual property.
Facet was one of the companies way back that collected data for Google. The company has licensed its patents to TomTom. But now it seems Google will own the IP for use in data capture, mapping and suggests the article self driving car development.
There are nine patents and Bill Slawski does a good job arranging and discussing them; check the patents and his analysis out. I have nothing to add!
- SEO By the Sea
by Adena Schutzberg on 08/12 at 02:27 PM |
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Google is now putting location info and options on the left side of the search page, so it’s easy to see and change. That location will be used to focus searches.
- Google Blog
A Canadian government document released in response to Google data gathering when doing Street View images and wi-fi locations reveals the company no longer plans to capture wi-fi data that way. Instead it’ll get it from Android and Chrome users.
- C|net
Google got a patent at the end of Sept for “System For Automatically Integrating A Digital Map System.” It’s by Lars Eilstrup Rasmussen and Jens Eilstrup Rasmussen who if memory serves were the Google Maps guys from Australia. (Update: They just were awarded the annual Pearcey Foundation award in New South Wales.)
Abstract
A method and system for integrating a digital map system with a source document is disclosed including detecting a location description in the source document, and replacing the detected location description with a hyperlink linking to a depiction of the location description.
Another embodiment may include a method and system for integrating a digital map system with a source document including detecting a location description in a source document, verifying that the location description describes an actual location, and integrating a hyperlink linking a depiction of the location description into the source document.
- SEO by the Sea via @jeffharrison
by Adena Schutzberg on 10/21 at 06:00 AM |
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Skyhook sued Google in both state and federal court. The state court complaint “states that Google’s Andy Rubin, head of the Android project, demanded that Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha drop Skyhook’s technology from Motorola handsets or Google would remove Android certification from those handsets.”
The federal court complaint alleged Google infringed on four Skyhook patents.
Skyhook is looking for an injunction and damages.
- C|net
- GigaOM
by Adena Schutzberg on 09/15 at 07:19 PM |
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The patent is titled “Embedded Navigation Interface.” The app was filed in March and made public last week.
Abstract:
A navigation interface is embedded in imagery and includes various controls for manipulating the imagery. The controls provide various navigation operations, including but not limited to: rotation, tilt, zoom and 360 degree. In some implementations, one or more controls can be operated to restore the imagery to a predetermined state. Some implementations include a control for providing 360 degree movement of imagery. One or more controls can provide incremental and continuous motion of imagery.
The pictures (reproduced here) seem to tell the story of a click and hold/drag sort of interface, in contrast to multiple clicks. The images look like Google Earth, but most analysis says the UI is for Google Maps and StreetView; I’m not sure why.
- Go Rumors
by Adena Schutzberg on 06/29 at 06:00 AM |
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