GeoVector

GeoVector Corporation, originally known as Criticom Corporation, is a technology company whose research centered on linking digital information to physical places by combining a device's geographic position and orientation. The company was co-founded by John Ellenby, who had earlier founded GRiD Systems, a pioneer in portable computers. GeoVector began researching augmented-reality concepts in the early 1990s, before the term became widely used in the consumer technology industry. The company's core idea was to use sensors such as GPS receivers and digital compasses to establish where a user was and what direction the device was pointing. That information could be treated as a virtual vector intersecting with geographic objects stored in databases by latitude and longitude. Applications could then present information about places, landmarks, businesses, or other objects associated with the direction of interest. This approach did not always require a camera or a visual overlay; GeoVector also developed directional search experiences in which users pointed a handheld device toward an area or object to refine location-based results. GeoVector's first patent in this field was filed on September 10, 1993, and was later issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,815,411. The company also briefly held the trademark for the phrase "Augmented Reality," registered in 1995, but abandoned it as the expression became a general description of the technology. Early research included specialized applications such as compass-equipped binoculars combined with GPS to place nautical charts or maps over a sailor's visual horizon. A major development was the Clipper project, initiated in 1998. GeoVector created a prototype handheld information appliance known internally as the "Little Guy." The device explored the company's pointing concept independently of a conventional video or camera display. GeoVector subsequently worked with sensor and device manufacturers to encourage the inclusion of GPS and compass capabilities in handheld products. In 2002, Socket Communications produced PCMCIA cards incorporating GPS and compass functions for Pocket PCs, while GeoVector also participated in a Microsoft .NET Compact Framework case study involving a location-aware New Zealand application. The company pursued both practical vertical applications and consumer-facing services. In New Zealand, it developed Real World Doom, a location-based game that placed a monster-fighting experience in real streets, and collaborated with Vodafone, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Virtual Spectator, and Animation Research on Actual Spectator, an augmented-reality application demonstrated during the America's Cup sailing events in Auckland in 2003. These projects illustrated GeoVector's broader effort to make geographic context and directional information useful in entertainment, navigation, search, and event experiences. GeoVector entered commercial mobile services in Japan in early 2006 with a pointing-based search product delivered through the KDDI network and supported by local partners NEC and Mapion. The service evolved into Mapion Pointing Appli in 2007. The company later launched the location-based game Navimon in Japan in 2008. In 2009, it introduced World Surfer for Android and iPhone platforms, allowing users with GPS- and compass-equipped smartphones to point in a direction and search for retailers, restaurants, and other points of interest. World Surfer 2 followed in 2010 with an augmented-reality object-view feature for the iPhone 3GS. GeoVector continued to describe its work as a combination of directional search, sensor-enabled mobile computing, and augmented reality, and it accumulated additional patents in these areas. Publicly available material also records patent litigation against Samsung concerning Galaxy smartphones and tablets. The available reference material does not establish the company's present operating status, ownership, headquarters, or current product portfolio.

GeoVector Corporation began as Criticom Corporation and was co-founded by John Ellenby, the founder of GRiD Systems. Its early research, beginning in the 1990s, explored how digital devices could associate information with physical places by determining both the user's position and the direction in which a device was aimed. This work anticipated later augmented-reality and location-based-search products. GeoVector filed its first patent in this area on September 10, 1993. The patent was later issued as U.S. Patent No. 5,815,411. The company also obtained the trademark for "Augmented Reality" in 1995, but abandoned the mark after the phrase entered general use as the name of a broader technological category. One early concept used GPS and compass-equipped binoculars to display nautical maps in relation to the visible horizon, with potential safety benefits for navigation. The company's research later shifted toward handheld devices. GeoVector concluded that directional information could improve location-aware applications even when a user did not need to view the physical object through a camera. Its pointing system used position and heading to narrow searches toward a particular object or region. The Clipper project began in 1998 and produced the Little Guy prototype, a handheld pointing information appliance that did not depend on a conventional visual or video overlay. During the early 2000s, GeoVector worked with hardware and software partners to promote GPS and compass capabilities in mobile devices. Socket Communications produced GeoVector Pointing Cards for Pocket PCs in 2002. GeoVector also participated in a Microsoft .NET Compact Framework case study involving the Welcome to New Zealand application. In 2003, the company developed Real World Doom, a location-based game in Auckland, and worked with Vodafone, HP, Microsoft, Virtual Spectator, and Animation Research on Actual Spectator, an augmented-reality experience demonstrated around the America's Cup sailing races. GeoVector's technology received public attention through technology and business-media coverage in the United States and Japan. By early 2006, the Japanese mobile market had enough GPS- and compass-capable handsets to support a commercial launch. GeoVector, Mapion, and other local partners delivered pointing-based search through KDDI. The service was subsequently enhanced and renamed Mapion Pointing Appli in 2007. GeoVector also appeared in Japanese coverage alongside a One Shot Search service associated with NEC Magnus. The company expanded from search into location-based entertainment with Navimon, launched in Japan in 2008. In 2009, World Surfer brought the directional-search concept to Android and iPhone smartphones, enabling users to point toward businesses and other points of interest. World Surfer 2 followed in 2010 for the iPhone 3GS and added an augmented-reality object-view mode. GeoVector continued developing and patenting directional-search and augmented-reality techniques. In 2016 it sued Samsung Telecommunications America over alleged infringement involving Galaxy smartphones and tablets. After Samsung argued that the named entity had merged into Samsung Electronics America, the court treated the surviving entity as potentially liable for claims against the predecessor. GeoVector filed another action against Samsung Electronics America in 2017; the reference account states that the court granted Samsung's motion based on statute-of-limitations grounds. No reliable information in the supplied material establishes GeoVector's current ownership, leadership, headquarters, website, or operating status.

• 2016

  Patent litigation against Samsung initiated

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  GeoVector filed a patent-infringement action concerning Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

• 2010

  World Surfer 2 launched

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  The second World Surfer release added an augmented-reality object-view feature for the iPhone 3GS.

• 2009

  World Surfer launched

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  World Surfer brought GeoVector's directional search to Android and iPhone smartphones.

• 2008

  Navimon launched

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  GeoVector introduced the location-based game Navimon in Japan.

• 2006

  Commercial pointing search launched in Japan

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  GeoVector and partners launched pointing-based mobile search through KDDI in Japan.

• 2003

  Real World Doom and Actual Spectator projects

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  GeoVector developed a location-based game in Auckland and collaborated on an augmented-reality sailing application for the America's Cup.

• 2002

  GeoVector Pointing Cards and .NET case study

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  Socket Communications produced GPS- and compass-equipped PCMCIA cards for Pocket PCs, while GeoVector participated in a Microsoft .NET Compact Framework location-aware application case study.

• 1998

  Clipper project and Little Guy prototype

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  The company initiated the Clipper project and built the Little Guy, an early handheld pointing information appliance.

• 1993

  First augmented-reality patent filed

  [1]GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org

  GeoVector filed its first patent covering technology for associating digital information with physical locations and device orientation.

GeoVector positioned itself as an inventor and developer of sensor-driven augmented-reality and directional-search technologies, emphasizing the use of a device's location and orientation to connect users with geographically relevant information.

• Handheld prototype · 1998

  Little Guy

  An experimental handheld information appliance developed under the Clipper project. Little Guy explored GeoVector's pointing concept by using a device's position and orientation to retrieve location-associated information without requiring a conventional camera-based augmented-reality display.

• GPS and compass peripheral · 2002

  GeoVector Pointing Cards

  PCMCIA cards produced with Socket Communications for Pocket PCs. The cards supplied GPS and compass capabilities intended to support GeoVector's directional, location-aware applications.

• Mobile local search · 2007

  Mapion Pointing Appli

  A Japanese mobile local-search service developed with Mapion and evolved from GeoVector's pointing-search work. It used a handset's position and heading to help users discover businesses and other geographically relevant information.

• Location-based game · 2008

  Navimon

  A location-based game launched in Japan that extended GeoVector's use of geographic context beyond search and navigation into mobile entertainment.

• Mobile directional search · 2009

  World Surfer

  A smartphone application for Android and iPhone that allowed users to point their device toward retailers, restaurants, and other points of interest. It depended on GPS and compass capabilities to combine location with direction.

• Augmented-reality mobile application · 2010

  World Surfer 2

  A follow-up to World Surfer for the iPhone 3GS. It added an augmented-reality object-view mode to GeoVector's directional search and location-information experience.

• 2003Actual Spectator

  New Zealand

  GeoVector worked with Vodafone, HP, Microsoft, Virtual Spectator, and Animation Research to demonstrate an augmented-reality application during the America's Cup sailing races in Auckland.

  Outcome. The project showcased GeoVector's technology in a live sporting and navigation-oriented setting; a broader commercial outcome is not established in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2016

  Pursue patent claims against SamsungOther

  Background

  GeoVector alleged that Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets infringed several of its augmented-reality patents.

  Action taken

  GeoVector filed suit against Samsung Telecommunications America and subsequently pursued related claims against Samsung Electronics America.

  Aftermath

  The court treated Samsung Electronics America as the surviving entity for claims involving the earlier Samsung company. The later action was dismissed after Samsung's statute-of-limitations motion was granted, according to the supplied reference.

  • Samsung — Samsung challenged the identity of the liable corporate entity and argued that the relevant claims were time-barred.

  Source

• 2009

  Expand directional search to smartphone platformsProduct launch

  Background

  GPS- and compass-equipped smartphones created a broader platform for GeoVector's location-aware technology.

  Action taken

  GeoVector launched World Surfer for Android and iPhone.

  Aftermath

  The product extended GeoVector's pointing model from carrier services and specialist devices to consumer smartphones.

  Source

• 2007

  Rebrand the Mapion pointing-search serviceStrategy

  Background

  GeoVector and Mapion had developed a Japanese mobile service based on directional search.

  Action taken

  The partners enhanced the service and renamed it Mapion Pointing Appli.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand represented GeoVector's continued effort to commercialize pointing-based search through Japanese mobile partners.

  Source

1. 1GeoVectoren.wikipedia.org