[OSM-talk] It's all over! (patent fun)

[Abigail Brady]

On Nov 6, 2007 3:06 PM, David Earl <david at frankieandshadow.com> wrote:

> But on the other, the claims only cover reducing the amount of data by
> maximum chord distance from the track. The patent claims, which are what
> matter, aren't about collecting data but about reducing its complexity.
> But it doesn't say "automated" anywhere, so if you trace a track in JOSM
> omitting intermediate points where they are in a sufficiently straight
> line, maybe there's a potential infringement.


It does limit it so in the abstract -

"The data acquired while traveling are processed by a program that
automatically selects which of the data are necessary to provide a specified
level of accuracy"

Does that not accurately represent the actual claims?

Nevertheless this is still so broad and obvious I'm surprised even by
> the lax standards of the US Patent Office that the examiner allowed this.
>

I wonder whether teleatlas, who also survey like this I think, have licenced
this patent, or what.

-- 
Abi
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