Official press release of ScanLife 2D code scanning availability through Sprint
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 10:45AM
| Press Release | Source: Sprint Nextel |
Sprint Customers Get Instant Links to Mobile Information with 2D Barcode Solution from Scanbuy
Tuesday November 11, 9:00 am ET
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--We’re all familiar with barcodes seen on just about any product imaginable – they make checkouts faster in grocery stores and often eliminate the need for individual price tags. Now a new type of barcode can make life simpler for Sprint customers seeking information. 2D barcodes are simple, black and white images, but each one is packed with a unique interactive experience in the form of data, Web links, MP3s, video streams, personal profiles and more. Sprint (NYSE:S - News) today announced that customers can use select Sprint phones to instantly unlock valuable information from 2D barcodes with the launch of ScanLife® from Scanbuy, Inc., a global leader in mobile marketing solutions.
| Source: Sprint Nextel | ||||
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Picture a magazine ad with a 2D barcode in the lower right corner. Using the ScanLife application, Sprint customers can scan the barcode and be sent to a Web site on their Sprint phone that might contain pricing, availability and additional product information, and more. For example, a 2D barcode appearing on a movie poster can deliver Sprint customers to a Web site with information on the film, movie locations and ticket prices when scanned with the ScanLife application. This eliminates the need to type Web addresses or search for content by keywords.
“Sprint is excited to launch Scanbuy’s 2D barcode technology, which combines with the speed of the Now Network to give our customers a new way to access information they want the instant they want it,” said Len Barlik, vice president of wireless and wireline services for Sprint. “Mobile barcode scanning promises to help customers quickly get to information and services.”
ScanLife is available on more than 30 Sprint phones ... and counting
The ScanLife application is immediately available to download on more than 30 Sprint camera phones, and Sprint plans to make ScanLife available on additional camera phones in the coming weeks. Sprint data subscribers can easily download the application for no additional charge by going to the mobile Web on their Sprint phone, selecting Downloads and typing ScanLife in the Search box, or by typing www.getscanlife.com in the phone’s mobile Web address bar. Users can also receive the application download information by texting ‘SCAN’ to 70734.
Marketers, advertisers and individuals can create 2D barcodes
2D barcodes can be placed by companies or individuals on any physical media, such as print advertisements, signs and digital displays. Content creators, including advertisers and media providers, can register to use the ScanLife Code Management Platform at www.scanlife.com to easily create 2D barcode campaigns. Additionally, any individual can use the platform for free to create personal 2D barcodes that link to their contact information or social networking sites. Soon customers might find 2D barcodes on everything from bus shelters to magazine ads to business cards. To see examples of 2D barcodes on signs, billboards and more, visit www.scanlife.com and click Examples.
“Sprint’s support of this technology represents a huge development in the wireless industry,” said Jonathan Bulkeley, chief executive officer of Scanbuy. ”Marketers and content providers now have a way to link any physical media directly to mobile content. Sprint has been a fantastic partner, and they are clearly committed to this technology.”
To help drive usage, the CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, has joined with wireless carriers to sponsor and support common code scanning technologies. Sprint’s launch of ScanLife complies with the industry initiative.
Scanbuy, based in New York, has already deployed the service in Mexico, Spain, France, Denmark, and the Philippines. Its mobile application is available to millions of camera phones around the world across all major operating systems.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 51 million customers at the end of the third quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
About Scanbuy
Scanbuy is the leading global provider of mobile marketing solutions that use the camera phone as the link between the physical world and the digital world. The ScanLife client application and Code Management Platform are revolutionizing the way media companies, marketers, handset manufacturers and carriers around the world provide information and services to consumers on their mobile phones.
Founded in 2000, Scanbuy has a strong and growing intellectual property base in 2D barcode technology. The company's investors include Longworth Venture Partners, Masthead Venture Partners and Hudson Ventures.
For more information on Scanbuy, please visit www.scanbuy.com or www.scanlife.com.
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Reader Comments (10)
I wonder if AT&T will announce that they have partnered with NeoMedia and selected them to be their supplier for 2D codes using the global Data Matrix format.
This really isn't news except for the fact that it is "public," which would seem to point towards steady progress at the CTIA--that is as long as Sprint is not seeking to torpedo entry by other carriers (which would defeat the point of the CCSAT). There is no question that Sprint has been driving the adoption of this technology at the carrier level.
What I also find interesting is that this is also the first public/commercial promotion (that I know of) by Scanbuy that makes EZCode free to use by individuals. I'm sticking by my opinion that getting them out there in a structured manner will be good for everyone wanting to participate--NeoMedia included.
There is also no mention of "pre-loading" ScanLife yet. Which will be the real holy-grail for any of these app-providers. Will be interesting to see how things continue to develop.
Scanbuy, Inc. et al v. Neomedia Technologies, Inc.
http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuit.asp?id=42253
Infringement on what, I have no idea. All of NeoMedia's patents predate Scanbuy's recently awarded patents.
Scanbuy just opened up a big nasty can of worms. They better prepare themselves for a war!
Otherwise, everyone loses.
You can download the PDF here:
http://www.file-wire.net/file/xE4Wh4dGozC7
Scanbuy, in a joint suit, is claiming infringement on two patents. One patent that was recently awarded to Scanbuy founder Oliver Attia on October 30, 2007. The other patent was granted to Marshall Feature Recognition LLC on May 3, 2005 and is currently being licensed by Scanbuy.
According to the complaint filed:
Scanbuy and Marshall Feature Recognition have been damaged by NeoMedia's infringement and unless NeoMedia obtains a license to the '696 & '750 Patents from Scanbuy and/or MFR or is enjoined by this Court, NeoMedia will continue its infringing activity and Scanbuy and MFR will continue to be
damaged.
A couple important things worth pointing out here:
* Scanbuy's patent is very narrow because it claims a specific decoding process. NeoMedia does not use this same barcode decoding method.
Claim 1 of Scanbuy's patent -- A method for decoding a barcode comprising: (a) imaging the barcode with a mobile device equipped with a digital camera; (b) converting the barcode image to an array of pixels; (c) dividing the array of pixels into sections; (d) selecting a section; (e) determining a minimal pixel intensity for the selected section; (f) assigning a high pixel intensity to pixels with intensities above a threshold white level intensity; (g) assigning a zero pixel intensity to pixels with intensities below a threshold black level intensity; (h) assigning a zero pixel intensity to pixels with intensities within a range of the minimal pixel intensity of the selected section; (i) assigning a zero pixel intensity to pixels that are adjacent to a pixel that has an intensity within a range of the minimal pixel intensity of the selected section; (j) repeating (d)-(i) for each of the sections; (k) rendering the sections to form an enhanced barcode image; (l) decoding the enhanced barcode image to obtain barcode information; (m) transmitting the barcode information from the mobile device to a server, the mobile device in communication with the server through a wireless network; and (n) receiving a message associated with the barcode information from the server through the wireless network.
* NeoMedia's core patents predate Scanbuy's and Marshall Feature Recognition's patents.
* There are broad patents (NeoMedia) and narrow patents (Scanbuy). Narrow patents are much easier to get issued, but are also of little or no enforcement value. In addition, even if a company gets a patent issued, that doesn't mean that it is protected in any way - a patent is not a "right to operate" it is a "right to prevent someone else from operating using your invention." Scanbuy can be issued a patent on a particular subject and still be infringing NeoMedia's patent on the same subject.
Thus, the only way that a Scanbuy-issued patent would be a threat to someone else is if it covered a technique that someone else was using, that they needed to use (i.e. there wasn't an alternate means of accomplishing the same end) and that Scanbuy could prove they were using. If all of that was true, it would give Scanbuy some leverage over the other company. If not, it's moot. As will be the case here I believe.
NeoMedia considers rival company ScanBuy is infringing on 6 of its patented claims. According to NeoMedia's CEO Iain McCready, "We are committed to open and reasonable licensing of our patents, but that doesn't mean companies can just ignore us and go ahead anyway."
Rest assured that there will be no cross licensing. Scanbuy has patented a very specific decoding and resolution process for their proprietary EZcode. A process that NeoMedia does not utilize or needs to license.
NeoMedia has a real chance to put Scanbuy out of business in 2009, and I truly hope they succeed in their efforts.
What I've observed is that if NeoMedia had such a strong position at some point, they were asleep at the wheel for several years. Scanbuy had a compelling solution and implementation, and picked up a massive market lead with wireless carriers.
So, it appears to me that NeoMedia can either kill the market again (if they actually have a strong position) or both companies can come to the table and agree to compete on the level of actual beneficial use and share licensing fees on the back end.
In a potentially "hockey stick" growth market like this, both would be foolish to fight to the death over having monopoly-like control over the entire ecosystem.
I still say this is sabre-rattling and jockeying for the best licensing position. According to the initial CTIA code scanning white paper, NeoMedia and any other handset software provider will have to license the ability to read EZCode from Scanbuy if they are to adhere to the client specifications. Every code the CTIA approves will need to be read by any 'certified' code scanning app. That is the only way to ensure a consistent, cross-carrier experience. If some of NeoMedia's patents are valid, then everyone will also obviously need to cut some licensing deals with them as well.
So, I hope you're wrong. I don't want either one to go out of business. There is plenty of potential for them both, and all of us benefit from a bit of competition in the market.
Thank you for the reply. I always appreciate and respect your thoughts.
Unfortunately, NeoMedia's past management were asleep at the wheel. In 2006 they decided to purchase a handful of mobile marketing companies (Mobot, 12Snap, Sponge, and Gavitec) which was a terrible business strategy that ended up costing NeoMedia millions of dollars and ended up putting the company terribly in debt. With the exception of Gavitec, the other companies had no synergy with NeoMedia and were ultimately sold back to their previous owners.
That being said, NeoMedia's patents date back to the mid 90's and predate all of Scanbuy's patents. It wasn't until NeoMedia brought suit against Scanbuy in 2004 for patent infringement, that Scanbuy decided to file for their own patents.
What's insulting is the fact that Scanbuy was granted a patent on October 30, 2007 covering a very narrow and specific barcode decoding process, and they think they have grounds to sue NeoMedia for patent infringement ?!?
PLEEAASSEE !!
This smells of pure desperation, and ultimately a slap in the face to NeoMedia. IMO, NeoMedia has Scanbuy running scared with the looming USPTO patent ruling. I strongly believe that this is a last ditch effort by Scanbuy to engage and bait NeoMedia into a cross-licensing agreement.
You state, "both companies can come to the table and agree to compete on the level of actual beneficial use and share licensing fees on the back end."
NeoMedia doesn't owe anything to Scanbuy. NeoMedia patented this technology long before Scanbuy was ever in existence. These patents were first licensed by Digital Convergence for $100M in 2000 to facilitate the launch of the :CueCat. In 2001, NeoMedia formed a strategic alliance with Symbol, now owned by Motorola, and signed a worldwide licensing agreement. Symbol would later offer to buy NeoMedia's valuable patent portfolio in 2002 for $150M. The offer was declined however in favor of further developing the IP and growing the patent portfolio as a core component of NeoMedia's long-term growth and market strategy. In 2005, Virgin Entertainment and NeoMedia entered into an extended licensing agreement, which saw Virgin license NeoMedia's patents through 2016.
To state, "NeoMedia can either kill the market again" is also very insulting. Kill the market ?!? When has NeoMedia ever killed, or attempted to kill the market?
As NeoMedia's CEO Iain McCready stated in a recent interview, "We are committed to open and reasonable licensing of our patents, but that doesn't mean companies can just ignore us and go ahead anyway."
How hard is it for companies like Scanbuy to respect one if the founders of this industry and simply license NeoMedia's patents? Had Scanbuy licensed NeoMedia's IP years ago like other companies agreed to do, we would not be in the situation we are in today. The fact that Scanbuy opted not to license and drag out the litigation process just proves that they are greedy and have contributed to the stagnation of this developing ecosystem.
Furthermore, NeoMedia does not have to license Scanbuy's proprietary EZcode. NeoMedia, Nextcode, and Upcode have banded together and are currently fighting the CTIA over this lunacy. The CTIA should take a page out of the OMA's & GSMA's playbook. Both organizations have shunned Scanbuy and their proprietary EZcode.
Besides, the CTIA whitepaper also proposed Data Matrix codes. AT&T over the Summer conducted a side-by-side trial between EZcodes and Data Matrix codes, and ultimately selected NeoMedia to be their supplier of Data Matrix codes.
This is also the reason Mobile Discovery formed a strategic alliance with NeoMedia back in September. Mobile Discovery needed a reader and NeoMedia needed a platform. NeoMedia's relationship with AT&T was also of great interest to Mobile Discovery.
Concluding, I wholeheartedly agree that competition is good and needed for the growth and overall development of the mobile code ecosystem. However, Scanbuy needs to pony up to the table and do the right thing by licensing NeoMedia's patents.
Regards
Where was NeoMedia? Were they standing in the background demanding astronomical licensing fees from a market that didn't exist? Were they trying to get carriers to 'pony-up' millions up front while Scanbuy was giving the service away, hoping to get advertisers to pay on the back end?
These aren't rhetorical questions...I'm convinced that the current state of things is wrapped around the answers to these questions. There are plenty of cases of companies that own IP going after other companies who have managed to gain a foothold in the market. Does someone with touchscreen-navigation IP _really_ want to shut down the iPhone? Not hardly. They want to be compensated for the original idea while encouraging even more iPhone success.
Again, everyone is jockeying for position and you have to give Scanbuy credit for accelerating everything--however it is that it was accomplished. I think it is reasonable that if Scanbuy is not being open with their licensing that the carriers/CTIA could turn around and "de-list" EZCode if they wanted to. The best Scanbuy can do is try to maintain their market lead as a campaign enabler and user experience provider.
There is a "window of opportunity" on this related to EZCode that will continue to shrink anyway. As older phones are replaced, EZ will become less and less appealing due to the ability of newer phones to decipher more complex and data-rich symbologies. Whoever is going to play in this medium will have to be able to execute on the full life-cycle of campaigns flawlessly, and provide the best customer experience. From what I've seen, this is where NeoMedia has been severely lacking, until recently perhaps.
Again, this is where I think the CTIA got it right. The system is open to whoever can demonstrate they can execute on the developing standards--and they gave a nod to Scanbuy for being the first ones to demonstratively pull it off, at least in the early stages.
Not being an insider per se, I can't see any reason 'externally' that NeoMedia can't provide the same level of service based on Data Matrix and still be rolling out as a pre-loaded option on new handsets right along with Scanbuy by the end of 2009. However, if either one wants to shut the market down for another couple years, then all they have to do is continue this "war" as you suggest.
And, guess what? By that point, free readers of multiple kinds will be even more prevalent with rogue codes being published all over the place, truly proprietary symbologies that work on some carriers, but not on others, etc. -- poisoning the market. Great. Then we end up with a conflicted, incompatible marketplace like what took place in Europe.
I don't know why NeoMedia dropped the ball, if they ever truly had a lock on the IP for this market. But, if they hope to avoid being made irrelevant, along with Scanbuy, they need to get this worked out.
I still stick by my original opinion :-).
Great debate :-)
Here's hoping this mobile code ecosystem finally takes off next year !
All the best
Cameraphone 2D barcode scanning - patent infringement cease fire - #NeoMedia #Scanbuy cross-license - http://bit.ly/1s1TEf