GyPSii has announced that it has secured EU-wide “friend finding” patent, which describes the transmission of location-based information between devices and the subsequent publishing of that information for viewing on a map.
From the press release:
This significant Friend Finding patented technology enables GyPSii users to locate and share information with friends to view on a map, and further protects intellectual property enabling key features such as pushing user generated place content or requesting a friend’s location so they can meet-up, on mobile devices. The company uses the patented technology in the friend finding capability to allow users to share their location over a mobile device. Users can request or share their location and a favorite place location with one or many friends, from mobile device to mobile device, and view the location on a map on the device(s).
GyPSii’s announcement goes on suggesting this is only the first of 6 patent technologies they have developed. This capability can also be applied in other uses such as Fleet Management, Field Operations and Emergency Services.
Now, the question is how this will impact other mobile social networks. Will GyPSii start suing other services that use the same approach? “Waiting and seeing” all we can do at this stage. I only hope it won’t negatively impact the industry…