Another Online Mapping Patent Granted

location based services

This time the patent is granted to LandVoyage, the mapping portal focussed on real estate, that's currently up for sale. The patent, US 7,054,741, is titled "Land Software Tool" and per the press release covers "functions that provide the online map drawing and measuring capabilities available on the LandVoyage mapping website." A continuation to cover features noted but not claimed in the patent is pending, as are some new features. Here's the abstract. I am not a lawyer, but this sounds like a lot of tools already online to me! And, it doesn't sound all that good for the GIS industry. On the other hand, it does sound like something that might entice a buyer of LandVoyage, should it be considered enforceable. (Again, I'm not a lawyer and can't speak to that.)
Disclosed is a network accessible tool that is capable of providing map and satellite image data, as well as other photographic image data to locate, identify, measure, view, and communicate information about land over the Internet-to-Internet users. The network accessible tool includes a location tool that allows the user to locate areas on a map using geographic names, township, range and section descriptions, county names, latitude and longitude coordinates or zip codes. Network accessible tool also includes a metes and bounds tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data in response to metes and bounds descriptions that have been entered by the Internet user. The network accessible tool also includes a lat/long drawing tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data based upon latitude and longitude coordinate pairs that have been entered by the Internet user. A cursor drawing tool allows the Internet user to draw and edit boundaries on the map and image data by simply clicking the cursor on the corner points of the boundary. An acreage calculation tool is also provided that calculates the acreage of an enclosed boundary. A distance measurement tool is also provided. The cursor information tool provides information relating to the name and creation date of the map and image data in accordance with the location of the cursor on the screen. The information can be communicated by printing, downloading, or e-mailing.