Click here to learn
about this Sponsor:
Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum

Keywords: Match:
Patent dispute threatens GPS imports
Aug. 26, 2008

U.S. importation of smartphones and other devices using SiRF's GPS chipsets could be banned by December, if the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) adopts a recommendation made last week. Announced by Broadcom, the ruling is the latest development in a patent battle between the chipmakers.

On Aug. 22, ITC Administrative Law Judge Carl Charneski recommended that the ITC bar imports of the "infringing" GPS chips produced by SiRF, and of "all downstream products that incorporate those chips," says Broadcom. The recommendation follows an "initial determination" by Charneski earlier this month, when he held that SiRF is infringing six GPS-related patents held by Global Locate, Inc., a Broadcom subsidiary.

SiRF was found to infringe U.S. patents 6,417,801; 6,937,187; 6,606,346; 7,158,080; 6,704,651; and 6,651,000, relating to extended ephemeris assistance (long term orbits), calculating time in GPS receivers, enhancing sensitivity in assisted GPS systems, and implementing hardware structures for parallel correlation, according to Broadcom. Affected architectures are said to include SiRF's starIII and InstantFix.

Broadcom says the full six-person commission will meet by early December to make a decision on both the finding of infringement and the remedy. Should imports of SiRF-based devices be banned, the development will represent both a stunning fall from grace for SiRF, and a significant disruption for a mobile device market that is balancing increasing consumer demand for GPS with the challenge of finding reasonably priced GPS chipsets.

A pioneer in the commercial use of GPS technology, SiRF was founded in 1995. It now faces substantial competition from Broadcom, Qualcomm, and others, but claims to retain market leadership in the PND space. SiRF chipsets are available in a number of Linux-compatible products, and at least one multi-chip module, including:This year, SiRF announced the SiRF Prima, an SoC (system on chip) that uses an ARM11 core. The SiRFprima was said to be one of the first products that is capable of working with both American GPS and European Galileo satellite networks. The SoC also dedicates some of its hardware to accelerating SiRF's InstantFixII technology, touted as decreasing GPS startup times by modeling satellite behavior, then predicting their positions in the sky for up to three days in the future.

SiRF has not responded publicly to Judge Charneski's latest recommendation, but has reportedly filed with the U.S. Patent Office to gain a reexamination of the contested patents. Broadcom acquired the patents when it purchased Global Locate in July 2007.



Related Stories:


(Click here for further information)


FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.

 


Got a HOT tip?   please tell us!
Free weekly newsletter
Enter your email...
Click here for a profile of each sponsor:
PLATINUM SPONSORS
(Become a sponsor)

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

Check out the latest Linux powered...

Mobile phones!

MIDs, UMPCs
& tablets

Mobile devices

Other cool
gadgets



BREAKING NEWS

• iPhones to xhost Linux apps
• Tactical Linux computer muscles up
• Virtualization technology targets multi-core ARM
• Die-shrunk x86 SoC draws 2 Watts at 1GHz
• Webinars explore RTOS-to-Linux driver migration
• Open phone goes robotic
• MontaVista touts Android readiness
• USB Linux key targets netbooks
• Via panel PC resists shock, liquids
• Linux provider touts support award
• World's smallest humanoid robot can run Linux
• Linux connects TVs to 'Net video
• Mot camera-phone runs widgets
• Linux-ready MILS kernel gains POSIX
• Multimedia processor plays H.264 video


Most popular stories -- past 90 days:
• Open source phone goes mass-market
• Tinest Linux system, yet?
• Garmin Nav devices run Gnome Linux
• ARM9 board boots Debian in 0.69 seconds
• Low-cost laptop runs Linpus Linux
• Linux-friendly Beagle fetches $150
• Mini Linux PC breaks $100 barrier
• Open source camera records geotagged video to SATA HDD
• Open set-top box ships
• First $100 laptop runs Linux


DesktopLinux headlines:
• "Moonlight" ready to shine
• Adobe unleashes 64-bit Flash
• Debian Lenny installer arrives
• Ubuntu announces ARM port
• Amazon offers Linux XOs
• Windows 7 "no threat" to netbook Linux
• Creative frees Sound Blaster driver code
• Linux, netbooks threaten Microsoft's fat profits
• Ibex inspires GNOME switch
• Linux to outship Windows in 2009?


Also visit our sister site:


Sign up for LinuxDevices.com's...

news feed

Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum  |  About  |  Contact
 

Ziff Davis Enterprise Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters
Tech RSS Feeds | White Papers | ROI Calculators | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | VARs | Channel News

Baseline | Careers | Channel Insider | CIO Insight | DesktopLinux | DeviceForge | DevSource | eSeminars |
eWEEK | Enterprise Network Security | LinuxDevices | Linux Watch | Microsoft Watch | Mid-market | Networking | PDF Zone |
Publish | Security IT Hub | Strategic Partner | Web Buyer's Guide | Windows for Devices

Developer Shed | Dev Shed | ASP Free | Dev Articles | Dev Hardware | SEO Chat | Tutorialized | Scripts |
Code Walkers | Web Hosters | Dev Mechanic | Dev Archives | igrep

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.