InfoGation Corporation Sues Google Alleging Patent Infringement over its Maps API

InfoGation Corporation, a pioneer in the development of navigation software, has quite recently filed a Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Google in the Texas Western District Court, corresponding to its mobile navigation system. The patent in the lawsuit filed is InfoGation’s US Patent No. 6,292,743 (“the ‘743 Patent”), named as “Mobile Navigation System.” Google Maps API is Google’s allegedly infringing product in this case.

InfoGation specializes in developing onboard and handheld vehicle navigation solutions, which include real-time travel content, vehicle-based turn-by-turn driving directions, that too with precise voice assistance and guidance, and various communications integration solutions. Its ‘743 patent refers to a mobile navigation system, in which the client navigation computer connects to a navigation server wirelessly and gets optimal route relevant information from the navigation server that is formatted with the help of a non-proprietary and natural language description. The navigation system further reconstructs the optimal route from the description by using a mapping database coupled to the navigation computer and then displays the optimal route on the screen.

In the lawsuit filed, InfoGation has alleged that Google has infringed upon the claims 1 and 21 of its ‘743 patent by manufacturing, using, selling and offering to sell the Google Maps API.

Google Maps API gives an optimal route by using real-time information from the server of a navigation system; for instance, the Google Maps API DirectionsService interacts well with the Google Maps API Directions, which, in turn, receives direction requests and returns the most suitable path. It optimizes the travel time by keeping into consideration the total distance and the number of turns.

InfoGation has stated that the use of Google Maps API requires the need to format the optimal route into a non-proprietary, natural language description. The company said that the description prepared by Google Maps API is non-proprietary as it is formatted with the help of standardized messages as per a published API. It also mentioned that the description is natural language as it consists of natural language phrases.  According to InfoGation, these two aspects require reconstructing the optimal route by the user with the help of a local mapping database and then displaying the optimal route to the user.

InfoGation has accused Google of infringing upon its patent, both directly and indirectly, along with inducing the infringement of developers and its users. The company is now looking forward to seeking the judgment in its favor, an award for damages, costs, and fees, a permanent injunction, pre- and post-judgment interest, and other relief as determined by the court.