Google, Apple sued over Street View

PCWorld says.

PanoMap Technologies, a Florida company, has filed a complaint against both companies in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida. PanoMap claims that the use of Google Maps' Street View on the iPad and iPhone violates its patent, US Patent No. 6 563 529.

PanoMap Technologies, which does not have a Web site, claims both companies were aware of its patent ahead of infringing on it, with Google going so far as to include it alongside related patent filings, CNET reveals.

In its suit, PanoMap says Google listed PanoMap's '529 patent as prior art when applying for two of its own patents covering its Street View technology.

As for Apple, PanoMap says the company accessed Duckware.com, a business run by Jongerius that both shows off and licenses a panoramic image viewer program called PMVR, on 8 July 2007.

Lawyers for PanoMap did not reply to a request asking if their client actually makes mapping technology or if it is just a shell company backed by investors who fund patent lawsuits, paidContent.org says.

Despite last year's patent reform bill, the influence of such “non-practicing entities” or “patent trolls” appears to be on the rise.

A search for 'PanoMap' reveals the name is tied to an Atlanta company, CSA, that builds lasers to help architects. An executive from the firm wrote that, “CSA owns the PanoMap mark, but is not suing Google/Apple. Incidentally, CSA has filed a patent application a year ago - technology we have been developing for a decade or so.”