[OSGeo-Discuss] Help on patent infringement claim

[andrea antonello]

Dear all,
this might be slightly off-topic (I think not).

In a couple of companies a few years ago we developed a fleet tracking
software all based on open source software.
The mobile android part is basically a customization of geopaparazzi, the
server side base on the usual open webmapping stuff (bare with me on this
oversemplification).

The project had some internal issues and we never really came to an
official release, even if the website went online to be used for commercial
purposes.

A few weeks ago we were contacted by one of those "innovating" companies
that do nothing else than buying patents and search project from which they
can gather money.

Needless to say that our project has been targeted.

HydroloGIS, our company, is part of the Open Invention Network, so we first
asked them for support. It is obvious that a small company as ours gets
scared quickly from a letter claiming patent infringement and possible
litigations.

We are now trying to document the (very superficial) claims we got (like
having a map - Openstreetmap - visualized on a device), as OIN suggested us
to. One more thing we have been asked, is to gather as many articles,
scientific or not, that deal with what the patent claims and that might be
dated before the patent's date (patent has been filed in 09/2000 and
granted in 11/2007).

I know it is a long shot, but maybe some of you have already had to do with
this and might be able to help, send some references.
For reference the patents are:
US 6754580 B1
EP 1218697 B1

Basically it is a system to track vehicles made up of a client (mobile
device) and a server application.
If you have papers, articles, anything related to that at hand, please let
me know.

Thanks for any help,
Cheers,
Andrea
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