US 10,107,628 Method and apparatus for navigating on artistic maps
3 defendants · 3 suits · updated October 12, 2026
Also cited as U.S. Patent No. 10,107,628 · US10107628B2 · US 10,107,628 B2 · 10107628 · the '628 patent
Infogation Corporation has filed 3 patent-infringement suits on US 10,107,628, "Method and apparatus for navigating on artistic maps" since September 21, 2026, all in the E.D. Tex., against 3 distinct defendants including Mappedin Inc., NNG Software Developing and Commercial LLC and Pointr Limited. The patent is held by InfoGation Corp and was granted October 23, 2018 on a priority date of August 11, 2007. Its abstract opens: "Techniques for navigating an artistic map are disclosed." The examiner cited 4 references during prosecution.
- Assignee
- InfoGation Corp
- Priority date
- August 11, 2007
- Granted
- October 23, 2018
- Expires
- August 11, 2027
- Status
- Active
- Claims
- 20 (2 independent)
- Inventors
- Kent Qing Pu, Ivan Angelov, David Thieme
- Full text
- Google Patents
The suits
3 cases · E.D. Tex. (3)
| Filed | Defendant | Plaintiff | Court | Docket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-21 | Mappedin Inc. | Infogation Corporation | E.D. Tex. | 2:26-cv-00860 |
| 2026-09-21 | NNG Software Developing and Commercial LLC | Infogation Corporation | E.D. Tex. | 2:26-cv-00859 |
| 2026-09-21 | Pointr Limited | Infogation Corporation | E.D. Tex. | 2:26-cv-00855 |
Docket links open the public record on CourtListener. Filing dates are the complaint's.
Independent claims
What is actually asserted, verbatim.
1. A method for navigating in a particular area, the method comprising: downloading from a network into a computing device an artistic map, the artistic map being non-linearly scaled and including various objects being exaggeratedly shown on the computing device to facilitate a user using the computing device to view and select one of the objects to navigate thereto in the artistic map, wherein the computing device is portable, equipped with navigation capability and provides a traveling guidance based on a geographical map, the artistic map is not used directly by the computing device for navigation, each of the objects is represented by a plurality of points on a display of the computing device, and the geographical map is not being displayed on the display; receiving in the computing device a selection on the one of the objects from the user as a selected object; determining by the computing device a pair of coordinates for one of the points on the selected object; transforming in the computing device the pair of coordinates to a physical point represented by a pair of latitude and longitude in the geographical map not being shown on the display, the points representing the selected object having different pairs of coordinates, but all of the different pairs of coordinates for the selected object corresponding substantially to the physical point when said transforming is performed; detecting a current location of the computing device in the geographical map; determining according to the geographical map a navigational direction from the current location to the one of the objects being selected; and showing the navigational direction on the artistic map being displayed.
11. A portable device for navigating a designated place, the portable device comprising: a display screen configured to display an artistic map downloaded from a network, the artistic map being non-linearly scaled and including various objects being exaggeratedly shown therein, each of the objects represented by a plurality of points, wherein the portable device is equipped with navigation capability and provides a traveling guidance based on a geographical map, the artistic map is not used directly by the portable device for navigation, and wherein the geographical map is not being shown on the display screen; a memory for storing code; a processor executing the code to perform operations of: determining a pair of coordinates of one of the points representing an object being selected in the artistic map being displayed on the display screen; transforming the pair of coordinates of the one of the points to a physical point represented by a pair of latitude and longitude in the geographical map not being shown on the display, wherein the points representing the object have different pairs of coordinates, but all of the different pairs of coordinates correspond substantially to the physical point; detecting a current location of the computing device in the geographic map; determining according to the geographical map a direction from the current location to the physical point; and showing the direction in the artistic map being displayed.
Art before the examiner
5 references of record, 4 cited by the examiner.
Everything listed here was before the Office and is what a challenge must go beyond. Art the examiner never saw is where an invalidity search starts.
Examiner-cited
- US6697734B1 — System and method for displaying a map having two scales (Nokia Corporation)
- US20050149303A1 — System and method for abstracting and visualizing a route map (Microsoft Corporation)
- US20060206264A1 — Combined map scale and measuring tool (Rasmussen Jens E)
- US20070176932A1 — Design of arbitrary linear and non-linear maps (Microsoft Corporation)
Applicant-cited and other (1)
- DE102005020152A1 — Method for controlling map display in vehicle involves display device which is controlled in such manner that section of geographical map is displayed in three-dimensionally non-linear scale
Classification
- G01C21/20primary — Instruments for performing navigational calculations
- G01C21/3614 — Destination input or retrieval through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
- G01C21/3667 — Display of a road map
- G09B29/007 — Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes using computer methods
Family
- US10107628B2 — B2 (2018)
- US20110130955A1 — A1 (2011)
- 7 foreign family members: CN102648393A, JP2010536051A, CN102648393B, EP2179252A1, EP2179252B1, WO2009023165A1, EP2179252A4
Abstract
Techniques for navigating an artistic map are disclosed. The artistic map is often non-linear scaled, which means the map includes various objects being exaggeratedly shown. When a point of an object is selected as a destination, the coordinates of the point is captured. The coordinates of the point are then transformed to a physical point represented by latitude and longitude. A direction from a current location to the physical point is determined. Subsequently, the direction is modified or transformed in accordance with the map being displayed.
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This page is assembled from public records — federal court dockets and the patent's own file — and is updated as the case list changes. It states what the record shows and is not an opinion on the validity or infringement of any claim. Patent data via Google Patents; docket data via CourtListener.