US patent number 6,618,593 was sold for US$2.6 million at the live intellectual property auction in Chicago This patent covers a location based match-making technology. The system, working with location-aware devices connected to a remote server, allows users to make connections with other users based upon specified preferences and their distance. For example, a user can setup a profile indicating the types of people he would be interested in meeting. When he comes nearby another user matching this profile, a notification is sent to both. The field of application of this patent is essentially mobile social networking and mobile dating. Both markets are soon to explode, with million of users on the verge to shift from PC to cell phone to manage their digital social life.

Impact on Galileo-Radar (GR)
It is clear that Galileo-Radar will operate in a hot market. GR consortium is working on patenting several novel innovations, but GR will have to licensee several patents owned by third party companies.

…read more at GPS Business News

…read the patent at US Patent Office