Another LBS Offer/Coupon Distribution Patent

Patent 7,870,229 was granted on Jan 11 to Poynt Corporation and is titled: “Network for targeting individual operating a microcomputer regardless of his location.”

Abstract:

A network adapted to target an individual operating a microcomputer that is linked to an Internet to offer this individual goods or services appropriate to his needs that are available at a place within reach of the individual’s present location. The microcomputer is provided with a GPS receiver that indicates the present location of the individual, this location and the identity of the individual being transmitted from the microcomputer to a web site on the highway. At the web site, a computer associated with a data bank storing the profiles of a multitude of consumers is programmed to find out whether the identified individual is included in the data bank, and to determine from his profile whether there are available at a place reachable from his present location appropriate goods or services. If a match is found, an offer to supply such goods or services is conveyed from the web site to the microcomputer.

- press release

WHERE Gets Geofencing Patent

The patent,  Patent No. 7,848,765 is titled “Location-based services” and was granted on Dec 7, 2010. The company applied for it in 2005.

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and systems relating to location-based services such as social networking, providing demographic information, tracking mobile devices, providing business information, providing an adaptable user interface, remotely effecting a change on a portable electronic device, providing a geofence, outputting location-based information on a mobile device, varying transmissions to and from a mobile device, providing location-based alerts, verifying transactions and tailoring information to the behavior of a user.

I’m thinking there’ll be litigation…

- press release

Patent Infringement Tidbits

James Fee dug up that Manifold is being sued by a well-known patent troll. The company is among a long list in a Uniloc press release.

- press release (Nov 2010) via James Fee Blog

Taiwan-based GPS portable navigation device maker Mitac International filed lawsuit against Taiwan-based PND software designer Maction, accusing Maction to have violated two of its patents. Maction, by the way, is developing pedestrian routing using wi-fi for Taiwan.

- DigiTimes

TeleCommunication Systems Secures Patent for Geolocation

TeleCommunication Systems Inc (NASDAQ:TSYS) secured yet another patent for geolocation related to their SMS technology. According to the press release, "U.S. Patent No. 7,805,483 "Apparatus and Method for Associating Geospatial Location to Content on a Network" provides the ability to associate specific geospatial locations with virtual content on the Internet." And further, "The invention allows virtual use of location-aware content to associate graffiti, chat-room messages, blogs and other forms of online content with a particular location. It provides for a presence list for a Modified Presence Information Data Format-Location Object for use in tying MIME type virtual content to a geospatial location, and for tagging the location with graphical and/or descriptive information relating to the location."

Software-Based Driving Directions Patent

The U.S. Patent was issued on Nov. 23 (No. 7,840,350). The inventor is Thomas Spinelli, Northport, N.Y.

Abstract:

A method for electronically generating driving directions from a starting location to an ending location. The method including: indicating the ending location; indicating one or more preferences for the directions to include less than all steps that would otherwise be generated if not for the one or more preferences; and generating driving directions based on the starting location, ending location, and one or more preferences.