Microsoft Sues TomTom Over Patent Breaches

[Darren]

Yet more bad news for TomTom with Microsoft announcing it has filed patent infringement claims in US Court against TomTom Europe and its US subsidiary.

The patents concern ''innovations in car navigation technology and other computing functionality'' which have already been licensed by other companies according to Microsoft. They said that attempts had been made for over a year to engage TomTom in discussions about licensing this technology.

The complaint filed in Washington State alleges that TomTom were first made aware of the infringement of 8 Microsoft patents in June 2008 and seeks unspecified damages and a permanent injunction.

TomTom have declined to comment.


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Darren Griffin

[SpikeyMikey]

Thanks Darren.

A bit long winded for me but I found the following which gives the actual documents relating to the alleged infringements if anyone's interested.

http://media.techflash.com/documents/tomtomComplaint.pdf

and

http://media.techflash.com/documents/tomtomitc.pdf

Hope that helps

Edit: Sorry I meant the documents linked to were long winded
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Mike
TT GO6000 (Europe); iPhone and iPad Pro with iOS TT GO & MyDrive + CamerAlert

[gatorguy6996]

They look to mostly revolve around methods of presentation and delivery of services on the "live" devices if I've understood them correctly. Legalese is not my second language.
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Garmin 1695 / 255 / 760 w/MSN - Droid w/Google nav + Navigon - Navigon 8100T - Dakota10 - GPSMap76C - GeoMate Jr.

[MrT]

None of the devices MS complain about are Live devices, they list the following "accused devices":

32A. TomTom Go 720
32B. TomTom Go 730
32C. TomTom Go 930
32D. TomTom Go 930T
32E. TomTom One
32F. TomTom One 125
32G. TomTom One 130
32H. TomTom One 130-S
32I. TomTom One XL
32J. TomTom One XL-S
32K. TomTom Rider
32L. TomTom XL 330
32M. TomTom XL 330-S

It seems that the MS patents are almost like saying the idea of two devices talking together in a car is ours, combined short and long file names are ours. Bill Gates has patented the Creation and mankind.
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Drivelux

[layingback]

Some of the patents concern Microsoft IP - eg. FAT used on file system, some refer to hardware - which probably won't stand up after Bilski ruling last year, but some relate to Linux use of claimed Microsoft IP.

Microsoft have been threatening to sue some Linux entity over UNSPECIFIED patents for about 2 years. Having not clarified what those patents are to date, don't expect clarity any time soon!

Have Microsoft decided that in its current state TomTom makes for an easy inroad into setting patent licensing precedence on Open Source?

THE place to follow this is here.
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Go Premium X / Go 1005

[Quantum]

, sued for everything EXCEPT their discontinued PDA software!

[bullyterrier]

Perhaps microsoft will have better luck getting anything from them than us that have been robbed paying for the map updates and not using them because the application isn't up to the job.
So mote it be

[Quantum]

So mote it be, Brother.

[DennisN]

Well, now my Map Update Service cost doesn't look like quite such a bargain after all. Perhaps a sweepstake on whether or not we get a new map before Microsoft puts TomTom below ground?
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Rick-uk]

[Andy_P]

[Quantum]

{hehe}
Only amongst the geometrically-enlightened, please.

[navver]

MS will never make it stick. They claim TT sell Portable Navigtion Devices. My 520 isn't a navigation Device, the map doesn't move and the voice doesn't tell me where to go. Perhaps that's why TT haven't cured the stutter.

[chrisdack]

Only thoughts - don't flame me please :-)
hmmm. Are they by any chance going after someone small, to get precedent to take on the big-boys like Playstation3 who also use Linux?

C

789 - Open source os integrating with other components
Thoughts are :
MS patented whole concept of open source software being used to interface with other car systems. Presumably to ensure no-one builds one at all and they can stick windows for cars in or something.
Or MS don't want TomTom installed as standard fit in cars.
Or MS don't want TomTom to talk to other devices, specifically in-car.
Hope government are watching this one as that would disallow GPS supported speed limiters without bespoke s-ware or licencing from MS, making uneconomical at a stroke :-)
Didn't think can copyright a use of a system, only how implemented.
e.g. the old mouse WIMP GUI argument.

745 - Route nav with context (Turn left and then take second left)
Thoughts are :
MS disputing method of determining whether to link instructions based on distance between instructions - plain ridiculous. Have they copyrighted 'and then' as a word to link any related computer-generated instructions?

517 and 352 - Short vs longfilename and FAT.
MS would have to take virtually any system that uses FAT file system to court. e.g. cameras, even phones and Playstation who use FAT on memory sticks and so on. Perhaps those are the real target once precendent set on TomTom? Or have they licenced the same?

642 - Contesting the whole concept of re-writable flash memory.
Devices listed use memory sticks rather than disks, e.g. 910. See above.
Didn't think could copyright technical end-states, only tools and methods to produce. Also isn't this whole ARM reverse engineering Intel instructions thing. Intel couldn't claim to own how to address normal memory.

[Quantum]

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