2007 September 20
Contents
- Editor's Introduction
- Safe Software Expands Support for European GIS Formats
- Book: ArcMarine: GIS for a Blue Planet
Departments
If, for some reason, you cannot read this document, please visit:
http://www.gismonitor.com/news/newsletter/archive/archives.php?issue=20070920
Editor's Introduction
This week, I report on Safe Software's expansion of its coverage of European GIS formats and review a new book on marine GIS. Plus, fifteen press releases.
Safe Software Expands Support for European GIS Formats
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New European Formats
In June, Safe Software released FME 2007, the latest version of its spatial ETL (extract, transform, and load) platform that enables users to extract, translate, transform, integrate, and distribute spatial data in GIS, CAD, and database formats. The release's main focus was support for raster formats. However, it also included support for national data models and country-specific formats and coordinate systems. According to the company, these formats make up more than 30 of the 190 formats supported by FME.
In conjunction with two European user conferences — one in Germany this week and one in Sweden next week — last week, Safe Software issued a press release highlighting FME 2007's support for European formats. Here are some highlights of that press release:
Sweden: In January, Sweden changed the national standard coordinate reference system from RT90 to SWEREF99 to accelerate the implementation of their national geodata infrastructure. FME 2007 included, for the first time, the Gtrans reprojection engine, approved for national use by Lantmäteriet (the National Land Survey of Sweden).
Germany: The country is implementing ETRS89 as the new standard coordinate system, in conjunction with the adoption of the NAS GML format as a national standard for data exchange. Adopting ETRS89 will address past complications created by simultaneous use of multiple coordinate systems and facilitate exchange with other European countries, most of which are already using ETRS89. Safe Software first introduced read-only support for NAS GML in FME 2006. In FME 2007 it has added beta support for the NTv2/BeTA2007 grid shift file, which is recommended for the transformation of ATKIS (Authoritative Topographic-Cartographic Information System) data, the country's official administrative database of topographic data. FME 2007 allows German FME users to convert data to ETRS89 from the pervasive DHDN90 coordinate system, as well as other coordinate systems based on the DHDN, Potsdam, and Pulkovo datums.
France: FME 2007 includes nine new projection systems (Lambert coniques conformes) that the French government published a few months ago. Within the last two years, Safe has also added read and write support for GeoConcept, a proprietary format, and read-only support for EDIGéO, a standard established by the Direction Générale des Impôts for managing land registry information for taxation purposes.
Netherlands: FME provides read and write support for Top10NL. Originally developed by the Dutch National Mapping Agency (Topografische Dienst Kadaster), this format is replacing Top10 Vector as the new standard for exchanging topographic data with Kadaster. Top10NL was first supported in FME 2006 GB, followed by enhancements in FME 2007.
Great Britain: the Digital National Framework model (DNF) is emerging as the national standard for exchanging spatial data. DNF requires a set of base reference objects that can be taken from OS MasterMap, a geographic database maintained by Ordnance Survey, Great Britain' national mapping agency. FME included a reader for OS MasterMap data, which it developed in consultation with Dotted Eyes in 2002. The reader supports three data layers available from Ordnance Survey, including Topography, Integrated Transport Network, and Address Layers. (A fourth layer — the Imagery Layer — is supported by other readers within FME that manage raster data.) With updates to FME's OS MasterMap reader made in FME 2006 GB and FME 2007, FME now supports the new OS MasterMap Address Layer 2, a layer that identifies the location of more than 27 million postal addresses as well as a million real-world properties that do not have postal addresses.
Norway: Safe Software is working with Geodata AS to make a reader for SOSI, the national data exchange standard proposed by the Norwegian Mapping Authority. The company plans to make the reader available as an extra cost option for FME 2008.
Here is a partial list of European formats (please point out any errors or omissions and I will publish a revised version in the future):
Country National Format Organization that Established or Maintains the Format Supported in FME 2007 Considered a National Standard Sweden Interface 2000 (G2K) Lantmäeteriet (National Land Survey of Sweden) Yes - reading and writing Yes INTERLIS Swiss Yes - reading and writing Yes KF85 Lantmäeteriet (National Land Survey of Sweden) Yes - reading and writing Yes AutoKa FF Yes - reading and writing Masik Yes - reading and writing Germany German AAA GML Exchange Format (NAS) The Working Committee of the Surveying Authorities of the States of the Federal Republic of Germany (AdV) Yes - read only Yes EDBS Yes - read only GTI/RDB GTI/Restore format Yes - read only SICAD AED-SICAD Yes - reading and writing France GeoConcept GeoConcept SA (commercial software developer) Yes - reading (writing also supported if GeoConcept application is installed) Yes EDIGeO French Standards Association — IGN (The French Mapping Authority) is the primary custodian Yes - read only Yes Netherlands TOP10NL Dutch National Mapping Agency Kadaster (Topografische Dienst Kadaster) Yes - reading and writing Belgium Danish DSFL Yes - read only Danish UFO Yes - reading and writing XDK Yes - reading only Great Britain OS MasterMap (DNF) GML Based - Ordnance Survey Yes - read only Yes NTF Ordnance Survey Yes - read only Yes Switzerland SPANS Data Interchange Format (VEH/VEC/TBA) Tydac Yes - reading and writing Austria MXF rmDATA GmbH Yes - reading and writing MZK Yes - reading and writing OeNORM A2260 Yes - reading and writing VALIS rmDATA GmbH Yes - read only Other Standards Widely Used Across Europe GDF The Central European Normalisation (CEN) Standard format established by European Committee for Standardisation Yes - reading and writing NATO GML GML Schema for NATO Yes - reading and writing S-57 S-57 (A standard model for electronic navigational charts widely used in Europe. Specified by the International Hydrographic Organization.) Yes - read only -
Interview with Dale Lutz and Marcel LeBlanc
I discussed the significance of these new formats with Dale Lutz, Safe Software's Vice President of Software Development, and Marcel LeBlanc, its Director of Business Development.
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You released FME 2007 in June. Why did you wait until now to make this announcement?
DL: We are having two European user conferences next week. We have a bunch of things that we have never announced separately, so we thought that we would package them all into one announcement to highlight the fact that we are having an active user meeting in Europe and all the things that we've done for the different communities there.
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What's new in FME 2007, aside from support for European formats and coordinate systems?
DL: For many years FME did vector forms and types, but in FME 2007 we finally came out with a raster set of formats and a full and complete subsystem for translating and manipulating raster data. Our European initiatives play into that because, as a result of our support of a number of European coordinate systems, we end up being one of the few tools that can re-project imagery according to the algorithms that are used in some of these specific places, such as Sweden and Germany. One of the things we highlighted was this German BETA datum shift business. It came out just subsequent to the release of FME 2007 and we made it available as an update. It wasn't quite there, finalized, when 2007 shipped, but we've updated the product for that as well. Some of the work with Geoconcept is ongoing as well. There will be some additional announcements regarding some of the French formats too.
ML: Many of these formats are native to European countries. GeoConcept, from France, has really shown a lot of interest in wanting to be able to create an interoperable solution between their tools and those of other GIS vendors. That's where we have some pretty exciting announcements to make. We support their format. We will be able to demonstrate that in October at the GeoConcept user conference and also at ESRI France.
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With whom did you work, in Europe, on each of these components and how did that collaboration work?
DL: We've had very good relationships with many different companies, a lot of very talented individuals and organizations, for many years. The National Land Survey of Sweden was actually first European customer. In Germany, we had some key reseller partners; in particular, Conterra helped us by connecting us with the right people in the German government.
ML: In France, we have worked very closely with GeoConcept — they are a strong leader in the French market with GIS tools — and with ESRI France. Because we have licensing agreements with ESRI, there is a lot of interest in creating a French version over time. That is part of our long-term investment in FME in France. We have an existing re-seller has a localization, a French version, and that is helping in that market.
DL: He hooked us up with the appropriate people in the French mapping agency, the IGN, and they worked with us and we were almost the first GIS company out of the gate to support the whole set of new French coordinate systems. I think it is by having these partners that we have a great relationship, that we work hard to meet their needs and be responsive to them and as a result we are able to roll all of this functionality together into one product.
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Which countries are next? How do you plan to proceed?
DL: Strategically, we've done lots of work in Europe and we want to continue to foster that, but we also want to start looking in the other direction, toward Japan and China. We have similar initiatives underway in both of those countries. We are also looking to emerging markets in South America. The North American market is our home base and we've always worked hard to be on top of that as well. It seems that in this industry there is always a new twist coming — whether a new version of Tiger GML or different, more accurate datums in North America, as a result of GPS becoming more accurate. So all these things keep us on our toes and keep our development staff sweating continuously, it seems.
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Besides the difference in national and regional projections, what are some of the other differences in standards and formats between countries?
ML: From a business requirements side, what seems to drive a lot of GIS requirements are national standards. They normally tie in with either cadastral requirements or taxation issues. So, each country seems to be delivering its own unique flavor or format, using existing formats, and that is where FME probably shines. We are working very closely with many of these countries — with SOSI in Norway, with EDBS in Germany. Dale worked very closely on the Dutch standards. The other business driver behind this is raster. More and more people are using GIS and particularly raster, as it becomes more accessible, in all types of solutions.
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To what extent are these national agencies converging on standards, formats, etc.?
DL: Long ago, it seemed like most countries developed some form of custom national format and data model, with varying degrees of complexity. The Scandinavian countries adopted relatively complex ASCII formats. The second generation of those formats — the ones that have come out in the last, say, three years, as those formats and systems start to become modernized — are based almost without exception on GML, so that is a definite trend. Of course, at Safe, we have a heavy investment in supporting GML. So, that's the place where we can add value. The GML specification does allow for fairly wide variation in implementation, so we make sure that we do a very good job with each specific variation. The German NAS GML and the Swedish G2K GML are quite radically different. So the trend is that they are becoming GML-based, but there is still a wide variation and that gives us something to work on and add value to.
ML: That is part of our value proposition: on FME, because of the open approach you can take to supporting a format, you have quite a bit of ability to modify it. Specifically, with GML, we often call it "flavors of GML," because each one is unique enough. FME does a very good job of supporting them.
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What does all of this mean for users in the United States?
DL: If a U.S. user needs to integrate data world-wide, they don't have to fight with anything if they, say, wanted to get the latest German survey data. We've done a thorough job in FME of supporting Unicode, so that we can preserve the special characters, like the umlauts. Certainly, as we head toward Eastern countries, like the Asian countries, that ability to deal with Unicode properly means that on a North American computer users can import data that has Chinese characters, write it out to a modern database system and everything is preserved. So, if somebody in North America has to deal with data from outside, they have no worries ahead of them.
ML: Defense organizations, such as NATO, and rescue groups often need to share data sets. This is where some of these standardizations are helpful and significant and we are working on some that are involved at the international level. With aviation, for instance, different formats are being developed as we speak. There is certainly a high value in being able to use a common tool that can then make that data manageable in different countries that have different standards.
DL: If you are putting together a global dataset for consumer mapping purposes, it might be useful to you to be able to bring in data from all over the world.
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Book: ArcMarine: GIS for a Blue Planet
Arc Marine: GIS for a Blue Planet, by Dawn J. Wright, Michael J. Blongewicz, Patrick N. Halpin, and Joe Breman; foreword by Jane Lubchenco (Redlands, California: ESRI Press, 2007), paperback, 202 pages
If you think that mapping physical features, land coverage, and human activity on dry ground is complex, try mapping the ocean! While most land mapping is two-dimensional — street maps, for example, usually ignore elevation — nearly all marine features and phenomena worth mapping are at least three-dimensional — with depth (–z) replacing elevation (z). Furthermore, most features on land — and land masses themselves — move only a few centimeters a year, so these movements can be safely ignored for most applications. Compare that with twice-daily tides, rapidly changing shorelines, and the constantly shifting and inherently fuzzy boundaries of ocean regions and you will begin to understand the complexity of mapping the two thirds of the planet that are covered by water.
Yet this is a vital and urgent task, notes Jane Lubchenco, Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University, in her foreword, citing some alarming statistics: a quarter of the world's most important fisheries are vastly depleted; 90 percent of the large fishes have disappeared due to overfishing; hundreds of "dead zones" have appeared in the last few decades due to nutrient pollution from agriculture, livestock operations, and sewage; oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic; and so on. To help understand these phenomena and devise solutions, scientific surveys are gathering datapoints by the billions. Marine science, the authors write, "has progressed from applications that merely collect and display data to complex simulation, modeling, and the development of new coastal and marine research methods and concepts."
GIS plays a key role in organizing and presenting this data. To support better management of complex spatial analyses within marine applications and a wide range of marine objects — from fish to autonomous underwater vehicles, from wave sensors to current meters, from acoustic dopplers to nutrient monitors — a team of subject-matter specialists developed the marine data model initiative, aka Arc Marine.
"Data models," the authors write, "lie at the heart of GIS, determining the ways in which real-world phenomena may best be represented in digital form." This book reports the initial results of this effort. It describes database projects focused on mapping the ocean floor, fisheries management in the water column, marine animal tracking in the water column and on the sea surface, nearshore and shoreline change, temporal analysis of water temperature, and the integration of numerical models.
"Our goal," the authors write, "has been to create a database design that facilitates the collection of dynamic and multidimensional data from the oceans, seas, and coasts, and to provide a more logical way to represent these in the object-oriented world of the geodatabase." Arc Marine provides users a template to implement a marine GIS project, facilitating data input, formatting, geoprocessing, and analysis, and the process of extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL). The model provides developers a framework for writing program code and maintaining applications.
In order to adapt GIS to the needs of the marine community, the Arc Marine team considered examples of a wide variety of marine observations and geographic features. Whenever a standard geographic feature class (points, lines, areas, rasters, etc.) did not accurately represent a given marine feature, they created a new generic data type. One example is the time series point, used for points that are in a fixed position but record attribute data over time — such as weather buoys recording wave heights and wind speeds, a sea turtle nesting beach where observers record the number of hatchlings each season, or a gauging station in an estuary that records changes in salinity. Such a feature has a feature ID; x, y, z (or Δz) coordinates; and field measurements, each with a date and time stamp.
After discussing the need for a marine data model and laying out the objectives and scope of Arc Marine, the book introduces the concept of Common Marine Data Types — which defines broad categories of coastal and marine data representations — and summarizes the main thematic layers of Arc Marine. Subsequent chapters describe the main components of the core data model: feature and object classes for various kinds of marine surveys, location series and time duration lines and areas, time series and measurements, nearshore and coastal/shoreline analysis, and model meshes. They present the feature classes, attributes, relationships, and object tables used for these components, illustrating them with case studies contributed by a variety of organizations.
Arc Marine: GIS for a Blue Planet also presents 13 case studies that explain how marine scientists and researchers are using the data model in real-world applications. They've customized the geodatabase template for projects such as whale, turtle, and seal tracking and seafloor mapping, coral reef conservation, and investigations into coastal flooding and rising sea levels. The data model also supports fisheries management, shoreline change monitoring, and water temperature analysis.
The book, which can be used as a reference or laboratory manual, is accompanied by many online resources, including the core Arc Marine data model, design templates, a reference poster, a tutorial, sample datasets, and background documents. Related titles from ESRI Press include Arc Hydro: GIS for Water Resources, Undersea with GIS, and Marine Geography: GIS for the Oceans and Seas.
News Briefs
Please note: I have neither edited nor verified the content of these press releases.
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CONTRACTS & COLLABORATIONS
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Atmos Energy Implements MapFrame's FieldSmart Software in 45 Days
2007 September 18, Dallas, Texas — MapFrame Corporation announced today that Atmos Energy has implemented MapFrame's FieldSmart View as the first step of a mobile mapping and field automation solution.
MapFrame's FieldSmart View, the core map viewing application on which all FieldSmart applications are based, was implemented and deployed in 45 days. View replaces paper maps at Atmos Energy and provides an easy-to-use interface for approximately 300 line-locating field workers and 500 office workers to query and navigate the utility's GE Smallworld GIS data.
"We are honored to work with Atmos Energy, the largest all-natural-gas distributor in the US," said Paul Wilson, MapFrame President & Founder. "With 8 of the top 10 largest US utilities as customers, we have experience working with utilities the size of Atmos Energy, and have proven the speed, reliability and ease-of-use of our FieldSmart applications in both field and office environments. We look forward to a long working relationship."
About MapFrame Corporation: With over 30,000 end-users, MapFrame Corporation leads the industry in developing mobile mapping technology and field automation processes for utility, telecom, cable and broadband organizations. More than just a map viewer, MapFrame's Enterprising Solutions integrate data from core systems such as GIS, CIS, dispatch and work management in a single, easy-to-use field automation package. Unique compression and data flow capabilities allow organizations to extend back office data, including the entire GIS, into the field and throughout the enterprise.
MapFrame's FieldSmart software brings greater efficiency to the field, providing workers with fast access to the latest maps and customer information in both wired and wireless environments. Updates made both in the office and from the field are automatically downloaded on a daily basis, reducing mistakes and improving productivity. FieldSmart applications include View, Route, Secure, Sketch, Inspect, Plot, Repair, Design, Connect and Field Flow Manager. More information is available at www.mapframe.com.
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GeoAnalytics Retained By the South Florida Water Management District for IRIS System GIS Expansion
2007 September 17, Madison, Wisconsin — GeoAnalytics Inc., an IT consulting firm that specializes in the planning, design, and implementation of spatial intelligence systems, has been retained by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to enhance its Integrated Real Estate Information System (IRIS). GeoAnalytics played a major role in spatially-enabling the original IRIS system, which helps the District track and manage its real estate business interests.
This multi-phase enhancement project involves extending existing IRIS GIS functional capabilities and also upgrading select GIS components to more contemporary technology. "Functional enhancements will allow Land Acquisition and Management staff to spatially track and manage Non-Fee Property Interests of the District. This is critical to the overall Land Acquisition Department's mission and as such we are excited to continue to assist the District," said Peter Thum, GeoAnalytics President. Effected system components include an ArcSDE/Oracle Geodatabase, ArcGIS Desktop application, and an XML-based database integration framework.
The first phase of this project involves clarification of business requirements, a high level design for GIS enhancements, and analysis of component technology upgrade options.
About GeoAnalytics, Inc.: GeoAnalytics (www.geoanalytics.com) is an IT consulting firm that specializes in the planning, design, and implementation of enterprise information systems in support of spatially enabled business and predictive intelligence, asset and resource management, and decision-making. GeoAnalytics is headquartered in Madison, WI and has team members located in Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; Philadelphia, PA; and Orlando, St. Augustine, and Tampa, FL.
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Snowflake Software Enables Routing with ArcGIS Network Analyst with GO Loader's ITN Tool
2007 September 18, Southampton — Snowflake Software announces support for ArcGIS Network Analyst, ESRI's ArcGIS extension for network-based spatial analysis including routing, travel directions and closest facility analysis.
Snowflake Software's GO Loader has always provided a unique way to depict the OS MasterMap ITN Layer. Unlike other tools, GO Loader generates linework that provides an accurate cartographic representation of a restriction, clearly identifying how it applies to the road network and how it could potentially affect the user. This clear and precise representation is essential when a traveller needs to be able to change direction based on the re-routing requirements, particularly when time is of essence as is the case with emergency vehicles.
Click here: http://www.snowflakesoftware.co.uk/news/pressreleases/2007/prNetworkAnalyst.htm for a view of UK national coverage.
Network Analyst from ESRI turns the ITN layer into a logical network. It enables the user to set up weightings such as: traffic density, road works, temporal restrictions etc. By utilizing these capabilities with GO Loader's complex geometry processing capabilities, users can now easily:
- define the shortest route
- plot travel directions
- chart drive time analysis
across the entire ITN Network, with full support for turns and one-way restrictions.
Travelling from Point 1 to Point 2. Click here: http://www.snowflakesoftware.co.uk/news/pressreleases/2007/prNetworkAnalyst.htm for a detailed diagram. In the linked example of a true scenario, there is a no entry restriction for all cars attempting to travel from Cumberland Place to the south, past the cenotaph and the park. Utilising the Network Analyst tool, users are directed back round Cumberland Place to access the destination from the south.
The resultant planned route is highlighted in green. The blue and red symbols represent the Road Restriction Information as displayed by the GO Loader ITN tool.
Snowflake Software is an Authorised ESRI (UK) Technology Partner. GO Loader will be demonstrated at AGI 2007 in Stratford on Avon this week.
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Applied Geographics to Provide Statewide GIS Strategic Planning Support for Utah
2007 September, Boston, Massachusetts — The State of Utah has engaged Applied Geographics, Inc. (AppGeo) to support the development of statewide GIS Strategic and Business Plans.
"Utah's GIS Advisory Council looks forward to working with Applied Geographics and the geospatial community in Utah to develop our first ever comprehensive geospatial strategic plan," said Dennis Goreham, Manager of the Automated Geographic Reference Center, Division of
Information Technology.
"Working with Applied Geographics, we anticipate this activity will include broader participation and result in better processes and products that doing it on our own." "This project represents a unique collaboration due to the fact that Utah, through the efforts of the GIS Advisory Council, intends to author the plans themselves," said Michael Terner, Executive Vice President of AppGeo. "We will help the Council reach out to stakeholders to inform the plan. Our experience participating in statewide GIS strategic and business planning processes in nine other states allows us to effectively coach the state while also providing insights into the strategies that have been effective elsewhere."
AppGeo's role is to facilitate regional workshops for GIS stakeholders, to work with the GIS Advisory Council and project Steering Committee to analyze information gathered from the stakeholders, and to formulate recommendations for advancing Utah's statewide spatial data infrastructure. Utah will author the strategic and business plans.
The project will use the GIS Strategic and Business Plan Templates developed by AppGeo under contract to the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) in support of the FGDC's Fifty States Initiative. The project is funded through an FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee) Cooperative Agreements Program Grant. AppGeo's past project support for statewide GIS strategic and business planning includes Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.
About Applied Geographics, Inc.: Applied Geographics, Inc. (AppGeo, www.appgeo.com) has provided high quality GIS services and innovative solutions to government and private sector clients since 1991. AppGeo empowers its customers to put GIS to work through the intelligent use of geographic data and applications that improve work flows and business processes. AppGeo provides a full range of GIS consulting services: GIS strategic and implementation planning, data development, custom.
24 School Street, Suite 500, Boston, Massachusetts 02108; Tel: 617-447-2400, fax: 617-259-1688; www.appgeo.com; [email protected]; applications, training, cartography, implementation assistance and technical support. AppGeo services are available through a variety of state blanket contracts and nationwide through its
GSA IT Schedule 70.
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PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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New BlackBerry Models Run GIS/GPS Applications
2007 September 14, Dayton, Ohio — New BlackBerry models that have cameras and trackballs also run GIS software that displays ESRI mapping data and live enterprise databases forms.
The new BlackBerry 8300 comes with a built-in 2 megapixel camera and trackball navigation device. Add any Bluetooth GPS puck and the BlackBerry 8300 is ready to head out into the field with the latest Freeance Mobile software. Freeance Mobile release 1.2 takes advantage of the new BlackBerry smart phones and allows any organization to field automate with live database forms and enterprise GIS.
The newest release of Freeance Mobile includes zooming to current GPS location, locating street addresses with geocoding and hot linking map features to HTML pages or images. Freeance Mobile allows organizations to create custom forms that are live to enterprise databases such as Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle. Live connections to ESRI ArcIMS and GIS Server allows field workers to have the power of GIS on their BlackBerry. Forms and GIS maps published on the BlackBerry are created by in-house staff with the easy-to-use, nonprogramming Freeance Mobile server side administration software.
State and local government agencies have been implementing Freeance Mobile to field automate code enforcement, utilities and public safety/EMA applications. Freeance Mobile systems start at under $10,000 and can be implemented in a matter of days.
About Freeance Mobile Software: Freeance Mobile is innovative, easy-to-use location software for efficiently making mobile applications. You can now make your GIS available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It is hassle-free software for users and IT administrators alike. Designed for the ESRI and Blackberry environments, Freeance Mobile is a well-balanced approach combining off-the-shelf simplicity with the ability to make your own custom applications. Visit www.Freeance.com/mobile for more information.
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IDELIX Creates Online Land Rush with Lat49.com Mapvertising
Ad network puts brands on the map and taps a new audience
2007 September 17, TechCrunch40 Conference, San Francisco — IDELIX Software Inc. announced today the launch of lat49, a new mapvertising network that opens a whole new online territory to advertisers who want precise, intuitive geo- targeting to a large and relatively untapped online audience. The patents- pending ad serving solution is optimized for online, interactive maps and provides map-site publishers with a viable revenue model suited to their user behavior and site traffic.
On-map advertising, known as mapvertising, provides advertisers with a unique opportunity to execute both brand and local advertising initiatives in an interactive online environment. Advertisers buy the exclusive advertising rights to map real estate using the lat49 self-serve interface. An advertiser's ad placements display each time a site visitor using a lat49 partner map views the advertiser's territory. Land parcels can be bought at multiple zoom levels to suit the goals of the particular advertising campaign. Owning the map's most zoomed out country view will support branding initiatives while local advertisers may choose to regionally tune their messaging and target the local, street, neighborhood, or urban level audiences.
Eighty-five percent of all Internet users use online maps but this audience has been virtually out of reach to advertisers until now. Other ad serving technologies currently competing for the online marketer's dollar are not optimized for the Ajax and Flash/ActionScript technologies used to build interactive map sites, so they experience key issues with ad relevancy, ad refresh, and reduced usability due to forfeited screen real estate.
"Lat49 opens a new and growing interactive distribution channel through which advertisers can execute local, hyper-local, and brand advertising strategies," commented IDELIX CEO Philip Attfield. "On the publisher side, we've had tremendously positive feedback from the developer community and large commercial sites for whom lat49 presents a revenue model ideally suited to their user behavior and site traffic."
"The high visibility of lat49 ads is a key factor in making map based advertising successful for both publishers and advertisers," noted Andrew Bidochko, founder of Mapbuilder.net, a rapid mashup development tool that allows users to build custom Google and Yahoo maps without any API/JavaScript knowledge.
Lat49 publisher websites target a range of vertical markets that include travel, social networking, sports and recreation, traffic, weather, news, events, and more. Profiles of some members of the lat49 network and featured advertisers are available at http://lat49.com/partners/websites.php.
"We have a compelling approach to location-aware advertising, which is a huge, growing market," states IDELIX Chief Technical Officer Dr. David Baar. "Whether delivering ads appropriate to the user's area of interest as expressed by where they are looking on a map or by any other indicator of location such as those available on mobile devices, we have in lat49 a precise, intuitive way for advertisers to geotarget. Lat49 includes precisely defined coverage areas and ad selection/presentation heuristics that are easy for both advertisers and site publishers to understand and work with."
See a live demo of lat49 in the Demo Pit at TechCrunch 40 on Sept 18 or visit http://lat49.com for more information, or to start mapvertising now.
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WebEOC Mapper Provides the Power of GIS for Optimized Situational Awareness, Decision Support, and More Much More
Emergency Management Professionals Can Now Take Advantage of ESRI's ArcGIS Fully Integrated with the ESi WebEOC Product Suite
Augusta, Georgia — Two global technology innovators have collaborated to put the power of geographic information system (GIS) technology into the hands of decision makers. ESi, the leader in crisis information management technology, and ESRI, the leader in GIS, today announced the release of WebEOC Mapper Professional (WebEOC Mapper).
This Web-enabled emergency management communications system was designed for public and private organizations involved in homeland security and emergency operations. WebEOC Mapper provides users with powerful technology tools to create a dynamic, geographically based common operating picture and the ability to view data from multiple WebEOC screens simultaneously on a centralized map. It allows fast data access and dissemination critical to all phases of preparedness and response to both commanders working in an emergency operations center and first responders in the field.
"With this new product, ESi enables emergency managers to graphically represent a real-time view of a disaster situation for the first time," said Nadia Butler, chief executive officer, ESi. "With WebEOC Mapper, our customers will be able to lay out the entire situation clearly, coordinate their resources efficiently, and make critical decisions faster."
"WebEOC Mapper provides unlimited access to GIS data, dynamic data, and other Web services," said Russ Johnson, public safety industry manager, ESRI. GIS data and other dynamic information such as automated vehicle location (AVL), weather, and video, can be quickly gathered from numerous sources and fused into a common operating picture. The integration of the WebEOC emergency management solution and ESRI's ArcGIS Server, with its powerful analysis and modeling tools, is a best-of-breed emergency management solution.
The unique benefit of the WebEOC-ESRI integration is that the GIS functions are built into WebEOC core "Board Builder" tools, giving Emergency Operations Center (EOC) administrators the ability to
- View live, updating, multiuser WebEOC board data on a map
- Display data from multiple boards on a single map
- Combine WebEOC data with other GIS data or services on a single map to gain a common operating picture
- Configure the map with data from local and remote services such as
- ArcGIS Server services
- ArcIMS services
- Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC), Web Map Service (WMS) services
- ArcWeb Services
- Add these services on the fly
- Incorporate graphic annotation tools
- Geocode
- Print maps
- Measure distances between points
- Link back and forth between the map and the board
In addition to the increased functionality of WebEOC Mapper, the user interface does not require the user to be a GIS expert or a WebEOC administrator. Users granted appropriate permissions are able to enter data and simply press a map button to display information geographically.
The software requirements for WebEOC Mapper are the following:
- WebEOC version 6.5.3, the original Web-enabled crisis information management system, which provides secure real-time information sharing to help managers make sound decisions quickly
- ESRI ArcGIS Server 9.2, a complete and integrated server-based GIS that allows GIS analysts to cost-effectively author maps, globes, and geoprocessing tasks on their desktops and use integrated tools to publish them to ArcGIS Server.
For more information about WebEOC Mapper Professional, visit www.esi911.com or call 1-800-596-0911.
About ESi: ESi, the global leader in crisis information management technology, pioneered the market with WebEOC, the world's first Web-enabled emergency management communications system. Based in Augusta, Georgia, ESi connects crisis response teams and decision makers at national, state, and local agencies; health care providers; airlines; and corporations worldwide, providing access to real-time information for a common operating picture during an event or daily operations. By delivering highly customizable products and end-to-end services from design, installation, and integration through maintenance, training, and 24/7 support, ESi sets the standard for crisis information management. For more information, please visit www.esi911.com.
About ESRI: Since 1969, ESRI has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS, ESRI software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. ESRI applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of Web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. ESRI is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit www.esri.com.
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CONFERENCES & TRAINING
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1Spatial Addresses Spatial Data Quality at FOSS4G
2007 September 18, Cambridge, UK — 1Spatial will be presenting at the 2007 annual worldwide Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial conference (FOSS4G), held in Victoria, Canada from 24-27th September.
Chris Tagg, 1Spatial's Radius Studio Product Manager, will be giving a presentation titled 'Opening Spatial Databases for Data Quality Certification' on Tuesday 25th September at 13:00 in Oak Bay 2.
The presentation will discuss the importance of spatial data quality and how, by embracing Open Source Technologies, the ability to assess and transform spatial data to ensure it is fit for purpose is possible, regardless of where your spatial datasets are held and the format they are in. The presentation focuses specifically on the concept of using the Feature Data Object (FDO) open source Application Programming Interface (API) for manipulating, defining, and analysing geospatial information regardless of where it is stored.
Chris Tagg from 1Spatial commented: "1Spatial has released a new version of its Radius Studio component architecture that incorporates integration with FDO \0xF1 it uses FDO as a data access bridge providing access to numerous industry formats. We are keen to encourage the Open Source community to develop additional drivers for FDO that will help them address spatial data consistency and integrity in their business activities."
For more information on Radius Studio visit http://www.1spatial.com/products/radius_studio/index.php
About 1Spatial: 1Spatial has 35 years of experience in providing operational solutions to organisations with large spatial databases. With leading expertise in transforming data from CAD and GIS, quantitative data quality control, and spatial database technologies we also enable reuse and repurposing of such data and access through both internal and external portals. The modern era demands the unconstrained sharing of spatial data between systems, business areas, organisations, and the public. We are the specialists in enabling such cooperative infrastructures. www.1spatial.com
About FOSS4G: The 2007 Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) conference gathers developers and users of open source geo-spatial software from around the world to discuss new directions, exciting implementations, and growing business opportunities in the field of open source geo-spatial software. FOSS4G is presented annually by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). www.foss4g2007.org
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Houston Area GDC GIS Day 2007 Showcases GIS Use and Promotes Geography Week
Free event highlights Geographic Information System (GIS) use by local government, public and private industries, and educational facilities, and promotes internationally celebrated Geography Week in a new venue with great keynote speakers.
Houston, Texas — Don't miss this year's Houston Area's GDC GIS Day 2007 Nov. 15-16, 2007 hosted at the University of Houston - Central Campus, MD Anderson Library.
GIS stands for Geographic Information System, a method of managing, analyzing, and displaying geographic information on easily understood computer-generated maps. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lets you see, explore, and analyze data by location, revealing hidden patterns, relationships and trends that are not readily apparent. GIS is utilized locally by 911, the City of Houston, Harris County, METRO and many other agencies for various uses.
Keynote Speaker Nov. 15, 2007 is Dr. Gordon Wells, presenting "Geospatial Technologies for Disaster Response: GIS, GPS and Satellite Remote Sensing". Dr. Wells serves as the Principal Investigator for the NASA-funded Mid-American Geospatial Information Center located at the University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research.
Keynote Speaker Nov. 16, 2007 is Dr John Lienhard. Linehard is the author and voice of more than 2,000 episodes of "The Engines of Our Ingenuity", a daily public radio series about machines and the people who created him. Dr. Lienhard is the MD Anderson Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, and of History, at the University of Houston, where he has taught since 1980.
Houston Area GDC GIS Day 2007 is the largest showcase of how Geographic Information Systems are used in the City of Houston and surrounding areas. For two days, business people, educators, students, and the general public are given a free access pass to products and services that encompass GIS. Since its debut 5 years ago, this event has grown steadily, achieving a prominent position in the field of GIS with the public, private and governmental agencies. The Houston GIS Day event has received national recognition at the Annual ESRI Users Conference. In 2006, the Students Day event alone brought in over 350 students and educators from the Houston Independent School District. Prizes were awarded for GIS Mentorship Projects and essay projects.
For more information on the event go online to www.HoustonAreaGISDay.org
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Training4GIS commits to National Geographic Information Education Programme
13 September 2007 — Training4GIS, the training and consultancy division of The GeoInformation Group, announced today that it has confirmed a number of educational events aimed at the geographic information (GI) community. These events cater for everyone interested in maximising the potential use of GI. From recent graduates to highly experienced professionals, Training4GIS are hosting an event that will benefit delegates' continuing career education.
Following the success of GeoDATA Northern Ireland in 2006, Training4GIS will return to Belfast on 7 November 2007. GeoDATA Northern Ireland is a free to attend educational seminar, complemented by an exhibition. Anyone interested in learning more about the availability, management and application of geographic data and related technologies is encouraged to register.
Leading data suppliers and data management specialists scheduled to participate at this event include: Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland, The GeoInformation Group, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Cadcorp Ltd, STAR-APIC, KOREC, Intermap Technologies (UK) Ltd, Environment Systems, Seazone Solutions Ltd, The Association for Geographic Information and Experian. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to register promptly by emailing [email protected] or calling 01223 880077.
The annual CR Event will take place at Madingley Hall, Cambridge on 28/29 February 2008. Whether a potential or existing user of GI this event attracts anyone who wishes to enhance their understanding of the key concepts and applications of spatial data. This well regarded two day residential event is an excellent networking opportunity and includes presentations by guest presenters, updates on the availability of the latest spatial information solutions, field trips and hands-on workshops. Speakers currently include representatives from Surrey Heath Borough Council, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, British Cartographic Society, Environment Systems and Cambridge University. This popular event always runs at full capacity, to register your interest please visit www.surveymonkey.com/crevent08 or contact The CR Event team on 01223 880077.
Training4GIS will host the Inaugural Fire Safety Emergency Cover (FSEC) Toolkit Conference on 27 February 2008 at Madingley Hall, Cambridge. This conference is aimed at practitioners of the FSEC Toolkit within the Fire and Rescue Services. The conference will focus on the benefits of the FSEC Toolkit and how its use can be maximised.
All Training4GIS educational events are accredited by The Association of Geographic Information; attendees will be awarded CPD points towards the Chartered Geographer (GIS) status.
For further information about this press release, please contact Nikki Jones or Rachel Widdicombe (tel: 01223 880077).
About Training 4 GIS: Training4GIS, the training and consultancy of The GeoInformation Group, provides high quality GIS and spatial data training solutions. It specialising in flexible, tailored programmes designed to meet the specific requirements of the client.
Training4GIS has provided consultancy services and training to a diverse and extensive range of staff from the public and private sectors across the UK. Experiences range from intensive systems applications, data management, analysis and software training for operational staff through to geospatial information strategy training for senior managers.
Training4GIS is a Licensed Partner of the Ordnance Survey, has Ordnance Survey Accredited Data consultants and provides a route to market for the Kingston University Distance Learning Programme. The Association of Geographic Information accredits many Training4GIS training programmes with Continuing Professional Development points. www.training4gis.com
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OTHER
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DigitalGlobe Successfully Launches Worldview-1
Industry Leading Provider of Satellite Imagery Improves Capacity, Flexibility and Agility with Second High-Resolution Satellite in Growing Constellation
2007 September 18, Longmont, Colorado — DigitalGlobe, provider of the world's highest-resolution commercial satellite imagery and geospatial information products, today announced the successful launch and deployment of WorldView-1, the most agile commercial satellite ever flown. The satellite launched at approximately 11:35 AM PDT on a Boeing Delta II 7920 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA. The launch of WorldView-1 marks 75 consecutive successful launches of a Delta II rocket and the second successful commercial launch for Boeing Launch Services in 2007.
Shortly after the launch, a DigitalGlobe ground station received a downlink signal confirming that the satellite successfully separated from its launch vehicle and had automatically initialized its onboard processors. WorldView-1 is currently undergoing a calibration and check-out period and will deliver imagery soon after. First imagery from WorldView-1 is expected to be available prior to October 18, the six-year anniversary of the launch of QuickBird, DigitalGlobe's current satellite.
"The successful launch of WorldView-1 represents the hard work of hundreds of DigitalGlobe employees, Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, ITT Corporation and dozens of partner organizations," said Jill Smith, chief executive officer of DigitalGlobe. "The addition of WorldView-1 to our growing constellation of satellites is a testament of our commitment to our customers. We look forward to supplying the growing market with an unprecedented offering of high-resolution geospatial products."
WorldView-1, built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation with the imaging sensor provided by ITT Corporation, is a high-capacity, panchromatic imaging system featuring half-meter resolution imagery. With an average revisit time of 1.7 days, WorldView-1 is capable of collecting up to 750,000 square kilometers (290,000 square miles) per day of half-meter imagery. Frequent revisits will increase image collection opportunities, enhance change detection applications and enable accurate map updates.
The satellite is capable of collecting, storing and downlinking more frequently updated global imagery products than any other commercial imaging satellite in orbit, allowing for expedited image capture, processing and delivery to customers where speed is a driving factor. WorldView-1 is equipped with state-of-the-art geo-location accuracy capability and exhibits unprecedented agility with rapid targeting and efficient in-track stereo collection.
WorldView-1 is part of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) NextView program, and was partially financed through an agreement with the NGA. The majority of the imagery captured by WorldView-1 for the NGA will also be available for distribution through DigitalGlobe's ImageLibrary. Additionally, WorldView-1 immediately frees capacity on DigitalGlobe's QuickBird satellite to meet the growing commercial demand for multi-spectral geospatial imagery.
WorldView-1 is the first of two new next-generation satellites DigitalGlobe plans to launch in the near term. In late 2008, Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. and ITT Corporation will complete WorldView-2, bringing the total number of satellites DigitalGlobe has in orbit to three and enabling the company to offer a constellation of spacecraft that will provide the highest collection capacity - more than 1 million square kilometers per day - of high-resolution Earth imagery directly to customers around the world. Additionally, WorldView-2 will provide eight bands of multi-spectral for life-like true color imagery and greater spectral applications in the mapping and monitoring markets.
About DigitalGlobe: Longmont, Colo.-based DigitalGlobe (www.digitalglobe.com) is the clear leader in the global commercial Earth imagery and geospatial information market. The company's technical superiority and innovation, unparalleled commitment to customer service, extensive business partner network and open systems philosophy make DigitalGlobe the preferred supplier of imagery products to government and commercial markets.
DigitalGlobe is the only geospatial content provider to take an end-to-end approach to geospatial imagery, from acquiring proprietary high-resolution images through a leading- edge satellite and aerial network, to integrating and distributing that data through GlobeXplorer, a proprietary Web-based search and retrieval system that makes it easy to find, purchase and download global imagery.
DigitalGlobe currently operates the world's highest-resolution commercial satellite constellation with QuickBird and the first of two next-generation satellites, WorldView-1. The company plans to complete construction of its second next-generation satellite, WorldView-2 in late 2008. The company's updated and growing ImageLibrary contains more than three hundred million square kilometers of satellite and aerial imagery suited to countless applications for people who map, view, navigate and study the earth.
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Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging Increases Role in the Open Geospatial Consortium
Norcross, Georgia — Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging today reconfirmed its pledge to the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) by becoming a Principal Member. Already an Associate member, Leica Geosystems has recently acquired ER Mapper and IONIC, further demonstrating its commitment to provide and support standards-based geospatial data management solutions. IONIC in particular has been active in the OGC for many years at the Technical Committee, Planning Committee, Architecture Board and Board of Directors. Leica Geosystems will now be contributing to the OGC process at a level that exceeds the sum of the prior contributions.
"We are firmly committed to OGC interoperability and look forward to increased involvement in the Consortium," said Bob Morris, President & CEO, Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging. "With our recent, expanded growth in the area of standards-based geospatial technology, we have even more to contribute to the mission of the OGC."
The OGC serves as a global forum for the collaboration of developers and users of spatial data products and services. Its key goal is to advance the development of international standards for geospatial interoperability. It helps lead in the creation and establishment of standards that allow geospatial content and services to be seamlessly integrated into business and civic processes, the spatial web and enterprise computing.
"As individual members of the OGC, Leica Geosystems, IONIC and ER Mapper have contributed effectively to a wide range of OGC programs," said Mark Reichardt, President, Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. "Through their combined knowledge, expertise, energy and expanded commitment to the Consortium as a Principal member, Leica Geosystems will help to further advance OGC's mission to create a more open and interoperable geospatial world."
Leica Geosystems shares the OGC Consortium's goal: the realization of the full societal, economic and scientific benefits of integrating electronic location resources into commercial and institutional processes worldwide.
About Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging: When building image-based maps, you need reliable measurements and solutions for your entire workflow. So when it has to be right, more geospatial professionals trust Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging, to help them collect, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is powering geospatial imaging by putting precise imaging to work. Its broad array of photogrammetry and remote sensing software solutions capture data efficiently, reference imagery accurately, measure and analyze easily and present spatial information, even in 3D.
Those who use Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging products every day trust them for their precision, their seamless integration, and their superior customer support. Delivering geospatial imaging solutions with precision, integration, and service from Leica Geosystems. When it has to be right.
Leica Geosystems is part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden. For more information about Leica or its products and services, call +1 770 776 3400, toll free +1 866 534 2286, or visit www.gi.leica-geosystems.com.
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Azteca Systems Recognizes 2007 Cityworks Innovative Users
Oklahoma City (OK), Ann Arbor (MI), Horry County (SC), and Philadelphia (PA) Receive Distinguished Award
Sandy, Utah — Azteca Systems, Inc., the leading provider of GIS-centric management solutions, congratulates the recipients of the 2007 Cityworks Innovative User Award - Oklahoma City (OK), Ann Arbor (MI), Horry County (SC), and Philadelphia (PA). These agencies have deployed Cityworks throughout their various departments and Azteca is pleased to honor their outstanding and innovative accomplishments.
Oklahoma City (OK) initially deployed Cityworks in 2003 in their Water & Wastewater Department. Based on results that far exceeded expectations, they soon expanded into the Oklahoma Will Rogers World Airport, Public Works, Parks, and Buildings Departments. Playing an active role in the initial project, City staff has been able to carry out subsequent implementations on their own. With more than 200 Cityworks users currently at the City, plans are to continue expanding into Water Quality, Solid Waste Management, the Myriad Botanical Gardens, the Oklahoma City Zoo, and the Transit Department.
Ann Arbor (MI) became a Cityworks user in 2000 and, over time, has become an enterprise-wide system. Recently the City implemented Cityworks in their sidewalk inspection group within Public Services where they realized unmatched benefits utilizing the software. Every five years the sidewalk inspection staff inspects more than 27,000 sidewalk segments. Utilizing Cityworks on Tablet PCs, field inspectors assess the condition for each property. Prior inspections cost the City $100,000 per year. With Cityworks, time is minimized and the City realized a savings of $500/week per team, resulting in an annual cost savings of $52,000.
Horry County (SC) implemented Cityworks in 2004. The County utilizes Cityworks enterprise-wide with more than 200 users and the agency's Emergency Operations Center. Working with other local government agencies, the County has formed an innovative coalition to pass requests for service to and from the city and county, allowing any jurisdiction to take a call and send a service request where it needs to go.
Philadelphia (PA) deployed Cityworks in 2003 in their Streets Department. Today, more than 200 staff members use Cityworks to identify and inspect street-related problems and streetlights. The Construction and Facilities Departments utilize Cityworks to manage an array of custom fields for service requests. The City also uses Cityworks Storeroom for material groups. Cityworks has greatly improved Philadelphia's customer call-in reaction time, meeting key performance indicators such as addressing pothole problems within the next business day.
"Each of these clients illustrates the scalable and adaptable nature of Cityworks," states Brian Haslam, President of Azteca Systems. "Their innovative use of Cityworks exemplifies the unsurpassed results that come from implementing a GIS-centric system. Though all our customers do good things, we are pleased to recognize these exceptional clients through this award for their outstanding use of Cityworks."
The Cityworks Innovative User Awards were presented at the 2007 Cityworks User Conference, held May 22-24 in Park City, Utah.
About Azteca Systems, Inc.: Founded in 1986, Azteca Systems, Inc. is the leading provider of GIS-centric Enterprise Management Systems. Built exclusively on top of ESRI's leading GIS technology, Cityworks is powerful, scalable, and affordable, designed for agencies that own and care for critical infrastructure, capital assets, and property.
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Avineon Marks Fifteenth Anniversary with Global Expansion
Information Technology Provider Celebrates Crystal Anniversary;Outlines Growth Plans for Middle East and Asia Pacific Regions
2007 September 17, Alexandria, Virginia — Avineon, Inc., a successful provider of IT, engineering, geospatial and program management services, today announced the company has reached an important milestone, marking more than 15 years of delivering IT services and solutions to government and commercial clients. The company's success and longevity stems from a solid track record of providing outstanding value by applying innovative approaches, skilled people and disciplined processes.
Since its inception in 1992, Avineon has built a customer base of more than 250 clients across federal, state and local government agencies and commercial clients including large utilities and process, power and offshore companies. The company has grown at a rate of more than 30 percent over the past five years and is on track to exceed that rate in 2007.
"Avineon has grown rapidly over the past 15 years due in large part to our commitment to understanding customer needs and providing innovative services," stated Karlu Rambhala, president and CEO of Avineon. "Our expansion into the Middle East and Asia Pacific markets will make significant contributions toward Avineon's continued growth."
Avineon plans to invest significantly in its existing India-based subsidiary located in Hyderabad, Avineon India Private Ltd. (AIPL), to construct new offices. AIPL is expected to grow by 60 percent over the next year and the company will increase its employee base by 800 to accommodate growth. Avineon is also looking at opening additional India facilities in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada as well as expanding its overseas centers to include Dubai, Australia and New Zealand. This growth is driven by recent large new client wins, including a multi-million dollar deal with a U.S.-based oil and gas utility, among other new and repeat U.S. and European clients.
The company has also expanded its service offerings over the past year to better meet customer needs. This includes the formation of a formal Business Process Management (BPM) practice group to focus on the planning, implementation and support of BPM tools and methodologies. Avineon also launched a Commercial IT Services division to focus on meeting the needs of its strong commercial client base including large electric, gas, water and telecom utilities. The company's Geospatial and Engineering Services division recently created a Technical Solutions Group (TSG) to deliver highly specialized geographic information systems (GIS) consulting and application development services in addition to geospatial services the company has provided for several years.
Avineon has been recognized for its growth and innovation, receiving the Virginia Chamber of Commerce's Fast 50 award and being named to Washington SmartCEO's Future 50 in addition to appearing on lists including Washington Technology's Fast 50 and the Inc. 500.
About Avineon: Avineon, a CMMI Maturity Level 3 and ISO 9001:2000 registered company, is a diversified high technology company that provides information technology (IT), geospatial, engineering and program management services. With headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and offices in Alabama, Florida, Indiana and Virginia, Avineon also maintains subsidiaries in Europe and India. In IT, Avineon specializes in web-based architecture, systems engineering, application development, and on-going network and security support. For additional information please visit www.avineon.com.
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TruePosition Wins Patent Infringement Litigation Against Andrew Corporation
Jury Finds for TruePosition on All Counts; Awards TruePosition $45.3 million; Determines Willful Infringement Exists
2007 September 17, Berwyn, Pennsylvania — TruePosition, Inc., a leading provider of wireless location technologies and solutions and a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, today announced that TruePosition has won a patent infringement suit against Andrew Corporation in the United States District Court in the District of Delaware, TruePosition Inc. v. Andrew Corporation (Civ. No. 05-747-SLR).
After nearly two weeks of testimony, the jury deliberated for less than two hours finding on Friday, September 14 for TruePosition on all counts and awarding the company $45.3 million for willful infringement of its intellectual property by Andrew Corporation.
This is the second time that TruePosition has successfully defended its intellectual property rights against Andrew Corporation. In this case, TruePosition sued Andrew Corporation for infringing on a patent dealing with the location of wireless phones using the wireless network control channel, known as the "144" or "control channel" patent, which is particularly important for safety and security applications. This suit focused on infringement related to contracts that Andrew Corporation offered a customer in Saudi Arabia.
"TruePosition is extremely pleased with the jury's ability to deliver a decisive verdict in a case that deals with such advanced technology. This verdict is testament to the value - and the importance - of the intellectual property that TruePosition holds," said Frederic Beckley, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of TruePosition, Inc.
TruePosition previously sued Andrew Corporation for infringing on other patents it holds. In a 2004 settlement, Andrew agreed to pay TruePosition $35 million and to provide warrants to purchase one million shares of Andrew's common stock. In 2001, TruePosition also prevailed in a third suit against SigmaOne Communications Corp. for infringing several of its patents including the one at issue in the current suit against Andrew Corporation.
"We will continue to vigorously enforce and protect TruePosition's exceptional innovations in wireless location technology across the Middle East and throughout all regions of the world," Stephen Stuut, CEO of TruePosition, Inc. "This win illustrates our obligation to the wireless providers that come to rely on us to continuously deliver pioneering next generation safety solutions and other wireless location solutions to them and their customers."
TruePosition - Market Leader for E-911. With more than 15 years of experience and unrivaled technical expertise, TruePosition leads the US market in terms of wireless location systems deployed for Enhanced 911 service. TruePosition has successfully deployed over 75,000 location measurement units that cover more than 270 million people, and locates the majority of the 100 million wireless 911 calls made annually.
About TruePosition: TruePosition is dedicated to the development and implementation of advanced wireless location products, services and devices, providing complete solutions to support the wireless location needs of the global marketplace. In addition to providing industry leading core location technologies, TruePosition supports all levels of the wireless location value chain to offer turnkey solutions.
TruePosition's foundation was built on the development of advanced location systems, which include handset, network and hybrid location solutions. Today, TruePosition can offer hybrid location systems that incorporate Cell ID, Enhanced Cell ID, Uplink Time Difference of Arrival, Angle of Arrival, and Assisted GPS to power the next generation of location-based services. TruePosition is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to its Liberty Capital Group (NASDAQ: LINTA, LINTB, LCAPA, LCAPB). For more information, visit www.trueposition.com.
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