Web Mapping Patents

The Multimap Patent

Introduction

Multimap.com was awarded patents in 2000 and 2001 related to making maps on the Internet. The patent filed in 1996 claims rights to the technology described as:

“A map of the area of a client computer (10) is requested from a map server (11). Information relating to a place of interest is requested from an information server (12) by the client computer (10). The information is superimposed or overlaid on a map image at a position on the map image corresponding to the location of the place of interest on the map. The information (or “overlay”) server (12) may contain details of, for example, hotels, restaurants, shops or the like, associated with the geographical coordinates of each location. The map server (11) contains map data, including coordinate data representing the spatial coordinates of at least one point on the area represented by the map.”

Back in March of 2002, a discussion came up on the MapServer-users list about this patent after a company was facing legal challenge from Multimap.com. Several examples of prior art were raised at the time, for the full discussion, look for the messages titled "Patent Challenge" in the mapserver-users list archives

In 2007, Multimap was bought by Microsoft, and it would seem that more recently Microsoft has started selling licenses of its patent.

SystèmeD has a very interesting blog entry on this topic which led to the creation of this wiki entry. Since it seems that the Multimap patent is coming back to life despite a large amount of prior art, we'll use this page to compile various sources of information, links to articles and other sources of prior art related to the patent.

Blogs and News

• Feb. 2009, SystèmeD: Microsoft patents the map
• Feb. 2009, Baliz-Media: Et si Microsoft détenait le brevet du web-mapping? (French)
• Nov. 2009, DirectionsMag: Slew of Online Mappers Sued by WebMap Technologies for Patent Infringement

Articles and examples of prior art

• The Xerox Parc Map Viewer, created in 1993
• Huse, S.M., 1995, GRASSLinks: A New Model for Spatial Information Access for Environmental Planning. Ph.D Thesis, University of California , URL: http://www.regis.berkeley.edu/sue/phd/ (backup)
  • GRASSLinks OCU Version2.5: A PUBLIC ACCESS GIS: http://wgrass.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/grasslinks/ (Reference to Copyright 1994)
  • GRASSLinks 3.1 at REGIS, UC BERKELEY: http://ippc2.orst.edu/glinks/gl_copyright.html
  • OSU IPPC GRASSLinks 3.2beta: Public Access GIS: http://ippc2.orst.edu/glinks/
• Two articles by Carl Reed listing several examples of prior art:
  • Intellectual Property, Patents, and Web Mapping: Historical Perspective
  • Intellectual Property, Patents and Web Mapping
• Web GIS: Toy or Tool?, an article written by Bill Thoen in 1995 that also lists several examples of prior art

The 474 Patent

Introduction

Internet organizer for accessing geographically and topically based information is yet another web mapping patent, filed in 1996 and approved in 1999, believed also to be the subject of current lawsuits.

It seems that geotag dot com, the current owner of the patent, claims that websites using store location mapping are in violation of their patent.

Blogs and News

• Patent Infringement Alleged in New Law Suit for Store Location Mapping Functionality based on information reported by the law firm Crowell & Moring
• Microsoft and Google find friendship in common enemy
• Microsoft and Google jointly sue GeoTag Inc. in order to invalidate a patent asserted against more than 300 entities

Articles and examples of prior art

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