Scott Harris Back To Suing Over Patent Infringement

from the gotta-make-a-living-somehow,-huh? dept

We had just mentioned Scott Harrison recently as an extreme example of patent attorneys getting their own patents and suing. In Harris' case, the trouble began when it was discovered that he (through a shell company) was even filing patent infringement lawsuits against some of the clients of his own law firm. He was fired and a lawsuit quickly followed. That lawsuit was settled just last month, and Harris wasted little time suing more companies over his patents. In this case, the patents in question involved a system and a method for making use of traffic data on a GPS system. He's sued eight GPS makers, claiming there are "a lot of companies are infringing my patent."

Interestingly, he also notes: "When I thought of this and tried to put it into practice, it was pure science fiction." That would seem to raise questions about the legitimacy of his patents. If it was pure science fiction, then it would suggest that he wasn't able to put it into practice (and, certainly, he does not seem to be actively engaged in the market). If that's the case, then he would have effectively just patented "science fiction" and is now suing the companies that actually figured out how to turn science fiction into reality. Since they're the ones who made the leap (and took the risk in building the products and bringing them to market), why should Harris get to put a tax on them?

Filed Under: gps, lawsuits, patents, scott harris

GPS Device Data Increasingly Being Used By Police To Determine Where You Were

from the privacy-schmivacy dept

Late last years, the news broke that law enforcement officials had figured out a neat little loophole to obtain location data on you without having to seek a warrant on you using the probable cause standard. Instead, they're seeking warrants not on the individual, but on the companies that may have data on your location, which only requires a magistrate judge's approval, and no showing of probable cause. So, how is this playing out? Well, reader JB points us to the news of a sudden growth in lawsuits where police are using data from GPS units to help convict people based on their location at the time of the crime. Since the police can get that data directly from the company without needing to show probable cause, it's much easier for them to get the data to convict people or push them into plea bargaining. So, while those turn-by-turn directions may be useful, recognize that they may also be used by the police against you in court.

Filed Under: gps, law enforcement, probable cause, warrants

300,000 UK Motorists Say GPS Lead Them Into Danger -- But Not All Of Them Followed

from the if-your-gps-told-you-to-jump-off-a-bridge,-would-you-do-it? dept

Drivers in the UK seem to really have a problem with completely relying on GPS navigation directions. But it's hard to believe the headline that GPS devices caused 300,000 crashes for motorists across the pond. Based on a quick search, the UK's Department for Transport reported less than 500,000 traffic accidents in 2001 on all the roads in the UK. So unless the number of traffic accidents has skyrocketed over the last few years, it would seem that GPS devices are to blame for a significant number of vehicle accidents. (It's not clear over what time period those 300,000 GPS-caused accidents occurred -- but presumably those 300,000 crashes didn't start happening in the 1980's.)

However, the UK poll actually says that one in fifty UK drivers -- about 300,000 motorists -- blames GPS for causing or nearly causing an accident -- which is hardly the same thing as GPS devices causing 300,000 accidents. But even so, if the poll numbers are accurate, it also seems amazing that there isn't a follow-up headline regarding a class action lawsuit against these "dangerous" GPS devices. Clearly, there are a sizable number of drivers who need more reminders that automated directions are not 100% reliable. Given the somewhat saturated GPS device market, maybe more safety features should become a differentiator -- instead of novelty Knight Rider voices and navigators disguised as teddy bears.

Filed Under: dangerous driving, gps, uk

GPS Data Used To Disprove Radar Gun In Speeding Trial

from the not-so-fast dept

Over the past couple months, we've pointed to the misuses of technology to enforce traffic laws, particularly red light cameras which often end up causing more accidents or allow municipalities to decrease the yellow light time and increase ticket revenue. Last fall we noted the case of a teenager who was challenging another technological traffic enforcement: radar guns -- and he was using a different technology to do so: his GPS system. Now, the 18-year old driver has successfully contested that speeding ticket which he was issued for allegedly traveling 62 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Luckily for the teen, his car had an advanced GPS system which not only provided directions but measured velocity to "within 1 mph." After receiving a trial and bringing a GPS expert to testify to the accuracy of the device, the $190 ticket has been dismissed. What is not clear is why the police officer's radar gun output was more than 1/3 inflated (though this is hardly an isolated incident). Also, as a number of people have pointed out, similar GPS data, if widespread, could also come to serve as critical evidence in convicting traffic law violators instead of providing a check on state authority.

Filed Under: gps, radar guns, speeding tickets

Turns Out Drivers Not So Interested In Big Brother Style Car Insurance

from the please-don't-spy-on-me dept

Four years ago, we wrote about the concept of "Big Brother-style car insurance," where drivers would agree to have special black boxes attached to their cars which would transmit all sorts of info to the insurance company about their driving habits, including how much, when and how fast they drove. Those drivers who drove safer (or at safer "times") were offered better rates. We were actually quite surprised in 2005 to hear the company behind the most intrusive of these programs, Norwich Union in the UK, claim that the early tests were going so well that it was expanding the program. Three years later, we now learn that the "going so well" part may have only been on the insurers' side, rather than the customers' side. In a post talking about why such surveillance insurance plans are a bad, bad idea, the EFF also points out that Norwich Union has just ditched its offering, noting that... well... almost no one signed up. Turns out that people aren't so keen to sign up for Big Brother Brand car insurance after all. The "going well" part was actually all just wishful thinking, as the company says that it thought people would sign up only to discover that they didn't.

Filed Under: driving, gps, insurance, monitoring

GPS Will Now Tell You You're In A 'Bad' Neighborhood

from the now-that's-a-point-of-interest dept

While various GPS systems are competing to provide better, more interesting or more detailed "points of interest," it appears that Honda is going even further. Its new GPS system will also warn drivers when they're in a "bad neighborhood" where there's a high crime rate, and where their cars may be more likely to be vandalized or stolen. Right now, the product is only targeted at the Japanese market, but it's likely to eventually make it to the US. What will be worth watching is how communities respond if they're listed in GPS systems as being bad neighborhoods. These days, such designations are usually made by random people -- but having it in a GPS system (especially given how slavishly some listen to what their GPS tells them) may make it seem more "official." While I can imagine some communities getting angry about the designation, some might try to improve their reputations, which could have a very positive end result. Of course, when talking about American communities, that's probably not the case. They'll probably just sue, claiming defamation.

Filed Under: bad neighborhood, gps, points of interest

GPS Devices Damaging Thousands Of Bridges?

from the ignore-your-navigation-system dept

In the past, we've seen stories of GPS navigation devices not knowing enough about local roads that the directions were often inappropriate for the type of vehicle -- especially trucks. It had resulted in signs being placed on roads, begging drivers to ignore their own navigation devices. Engadget now points us to a report from the UK suggesting that bad directions from navigation devices was responsible for damage to about 2,000 bridges. That seems like quite a lot. The claim is that the devices direct trucks who are much too heavy to go over bridges not designed for that kind of load. Work is now being done to get the navigation companies to at least understand the types of roads and bridges, and how that corresponds to different types of vehicles.

Filed Under: bridges, gps, navigation, uk

Australia To Test Cars That Won't Let You Speed

from the slow-down,-dave dept

About a year and a half ago, we wrote about plans by transportation authorities in London to test a system that would force drivers to slow down if they were going over the speed limit. We haven't heard much about the tests since then, but it appears that similar tests will soon get underway in Australia (found via TLF). The system involves a GPS-based device that would track where you are against a database of speed limits to determine if you were going over the limit. The system can be programmed to react in three ways. At the lowest level, it would beep at you if you're speeding. A step up from there is where it would automatically cut the gas to slow you down, though there would be a manual override if the driver needed it. Then, there's a third level, where there would be no manual override. It's unclear how widespread the use of this device would be, but apparently there are some discussions about requiring it on all cars -- or (more likely) just for repeat speeding offenders. As we noted when the London tests began, this is attacking the symptom (speeding) rather than the actual disease (bad driving).

Filed Under: australia, driving, gps, speeding

Saying Bad GPS Directions = 'Killing Children' Seems A Bit Extreme

from the don't-you-think? dept

Everyone knows that GPS devices have varying degrees of quality when it comes to providing routing directions. Generally speaking, none are great, especially when it comes to local roads. Some are better than others, but it generally depends on the location. Still, it seems a bit extreme to dub GPS devices with poor navigation skills as "child killers." However, that appears to be what some researchers have done in a report on GPS driving systems as tested in the Netherlands. Apparently, most of the navigation systems don't recognize that certain residential areas are really designed for local access only, rather than having cars travel through them. So they send people through those roads, where pedestrians have the right of way. From that, the researchers take the leap (and it's a big one) to calling them "kid killers." It's one way to get attention for your research, but not exactly the best way to get yourself taken seriously.

Filed Under: directions, gps

Driver Blames GPS For Driving On Railroad Tracks, Getting Hit By Train

from the common-sense? dept

What is it about turning on a GPS system that makes people lose just about any bit of common sense they may have had? Last year, we wrote about a woman who blamed her GPS device for getting her into a train accident. You see, the GPS device told her to go straight, even though there was a gate blocking the train tracks. Now we've got a similar case. As pointed out by the folks over at the Tech Liberation Front, a California man who was in New York for work, and driving a rental car, apparently turned onto the railroad tracks for the MetroNorth line because his GPS told him to turn. To his credit, the guy eventually realized that maybe the tracks weren't where he was supposed to turn, but he was unable to get his rental Ford Focus to reverse back down the tracks. At that point he "abandoned" the car, leaving it for the next train to hit. At least the MetroNorth spokesperson seems to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. When talking about how the guy tried to warn the oncoming train, he deadpanned: "He tried to stop the train by waving his arms, which apparently was not totally effective in slowing the train." Not totally effective indeed. When noting that the driver worked in the computer field, the spokesman also noted: "One computer brain listening to another." Time to reprogram some of the logic, however.

Filed Under: driving directions, gps, trains