Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 10444943, I will search the USPTO database for the patent and then examine its cited references.

USPTO Search for US Patent 10444943

A search of the USPTO database confirms that US Patent 10444943, titled "Interactive electronically presented map," was granted on October 15, 2019, to Activemap LLC. The abstract aligns with the previous summary, detailing computerized systems and methods for interactive electronic map presentation with associated information, a magnifier feature, and animated images.

Prior Art References and Potential Anticipation

The patent document for US10444943 lists the following prior art. I will analyze these in detail.

U.S. Patent No. 4,974,170

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,170, "Vehicle navigation system having map display with position indicator," issued to O'Sullivan et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent was granted on December 4, 1990. The filing date is November 17, 1987.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle navigation system that displays a map with a current vehicle position indicator. It allows for map scaling and scrolling to keep the vehicle centered on the display.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates aspects of Claim 1, 7, and 14 related to displaying an electronic map with a position indicator and enabling movement of the map/indicator. However, it does not explicitly disclose the "magnifier" feature with a simultaneous magnified view or the two-way interaction between item information and map location as detailed in US10444943.

U.S. Patent No. 5,682,525

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,525, "Geographic information system with data access through map objects," issued to Tanaka et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent was granted on October 28, 1997. The filing date is September 29, 1995.
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a geographic information system where map objects (e.g., buildings, roads) can be selected to access associated information. It focuses on the interactive retrieval of data linked to geographical features.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent could potentially anticipate elements of Claim 1, 7, and 14 concerning the selection of information on a map to cause presentation of associated details. However, it does not clearly describe the dynamic, smoothly moving magnifier with a simultaneous magnified view as a core aspect of its interaction.

U.S. Patent No. 6,148,260

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,260, "Navigation system and method for displaying points of interest and advertising information," issued to Tamai et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent was granted on November 14, 2000. The filing date is June 16, 1998.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a navigation system that displays points of interest and can present advertising information related to those points. It focuses on integrating commercial information with navigation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent might anticipate parts of Claim 1, 7, and 14 related to displaying associated information (which could include advertising) linked to locations on a map. However, the unique interactive features of the magnifier and two-way information access, particularly the smooth, simultaneous magnified view, are not explicitly described in this prior art.

U.S. Patent No. 5,818,455

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,455, "Zooming user interface for displaying spatial information," issued to Cooper et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent was granted on October 6, 1998. The filing date is February 10, 1997.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a zooming user interface for displaying spatial information, which could include maps, where a portion of the display can be magnified. It focuses on techniques for navigating through different levels of detail.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is particularly relevant to the "magnifier" feature of US10444943. It could potentially anticipate the concept of displaying a magnified portion of a map. However, a key distinction for US10444943's claims (Claim 1, 7, and 14) lies in the smooth and continuous movement of a highlighted portion on an unmagnified map causing a simultaneous smooth update of a distinct magnified view, and the explicit two-way interaction with item information via this dynamic magnifier. The '455 patent may describe zooming generally, but not necessarily the specific interactive mechanism of the "magnifier" as claimed.

U.S. Patent No. 4,800,379

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,379, "Electronic magnifying glass," issued to Takeda.
• Publication/Filing Date: The patent was granted on January 24, 1989. The filing date is December 11, 1986.
• Brief Description: This patent describes an electronic magnifying glass for displaying an enlarged image of a selected portion of a larger image on a display screen.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US 5,818,455, this patent is relevant to the "magnifier" feature. It generally anticipates the idea of an "electronic magnifying glass" to enlarge a portion of an image. However, for Claim 1, 7, and 14 of US10444943, the critical elements of interaction (smooth movement, simultaneous update of a distinct magnified view, and explicit two-way linking with external item information) would need to be present and explicitly described in the '379 patent to constitute a complete anticipation. Without these specific interactive functionalities in the context of maps and associated information, it would likely serve as a foundational concept rather than a direct anticipation of the full scope of the claims.