Apple landed a U.S. patent Tuesday that describes techniques for generating maps of indoor venues, including those of individual floors, to supplement GPS functionality commonly found on smartphones. Though a smartphone can use GPS to determine location, including latitude and longitude, and display that on a “virtual map” on the screen, “maps of indoor space may not be easily available,” said the patent (9,913,100), which names seven Apple inventors and is based on an application filed in September 2014. “Even when the maps are available, the maps may not be up to date due to frequent changes to the indoor space,” such as when a store moves into or out of a mall, said the patent. “Even when the maps are up to date, indoor navigation may be difficult or unavailable due to lack of accurate GPS signals in the indoor space as well as lack of integration between maps of outdoor space and maps of indoor space.” The solution the patent describes is to enlist the help of a “venue data service,” asking owners of individual properties to “upload” information to that service, including the “geometries” of floors. The service also would periodically “survey” property owners to “validate the venue data” and certify that the information is up to date, it said. The service also could generate “fingerprint data” about the venue that “can include expected measurements of the environment variable at various locations of the building,” it said. A smartphone can then use the fingerprint data to determine where within the venue the mobile device and its owner are located “using sensor readings of the environment variable,” it said. Apple representatives didn’t comment Wednesday.

Apple landed a U.S. patent Tuesday that describes techniques for generating maps of indoor venues, including those of individual floors, to supplement GPS functionality commonly found on smartphones. Though a smartphone can use GPS to determine location, including latitude and longitude, and display that on a “virtual map” on the screen, “maps of indoor space may not be easily available,” said the patent (9,913,100), which names seven Apple inventors and is based on an application filed in September 2014. “Even when the maps are available, the maps may not be up to date due to frequent changes to the indoor space,” such as when a store moves into or out of a mall, said the patent. “Even when the maps are up to date, indoor navigation may be difficult or unavailable due to lack of accurate GPS signals in the indoor space as well as lack of integration between maps of outdoor space and maps of indoor space.” The solution the patent describes is to enlist the help of a “venue data service,” asking owners of individual properties to “upload” information to that service, including the “geometries” of floors. The service also would periodically “survey” property owners to “validate the venue data” and certify that the information is up to date, it said. The service also could generate “fingerprint data” about the venue that “can include expected measurements of the environment variable at various locations of the building,” it said. A smartphone can then use the fingerprint data to determine where within the venue the mobile device and its owner are located “using sensor readings of the environment variable,” it said. Apple representatives didn’t comment Wednesday.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposed order streamlining wireless infrastructure rules could be headed for a 3-2 vote at commissioners’ March 22 meeting (see 1803010047), FCC and wireless industry officials told us. Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel are expected to dissent, or partially dissent, given concerns about the order, particularly by Native American groups, the officials said. Little definitive word is likely from either office before the meeting, and both are said to be still looking more closely at the order with two weeks to go. Rosenworcel has been on travel nonstop since the order circulated, an aide said. The FCC didn’t comment.

​CTA’s October application to register as a “certification mark” the logo it designed to identify reputable over-the counter devices for consumers with mild or moderate hearing loss (see 1710170016) ran into roadblocks at the Patent and Trademark Office when examiners ruled the logo bears striking similarity to a Bose trademark for a headphone listening app, agency records show. CTA applied to register the logo to identify OTC hearing aids that meet minimum performance requirements as specified in the ANSI/CTA-2051 standard approved about a year ago. PTO examiners refused the application on grounds that the CTA logo is “sufficiently similar” to a logo for which Bose landed a trademark registration certificate on Jan. 16 and is using commercially to promote its Bose Hear listening-enhancement app to U.S. consumers through the App Store and at Google Play. When paired with specific models of Bose “Hearphones” headsets, the app “makes live listening better” by letting the user reduce noise or amplify softer sounds or adjust the “microphone arrays” on each earbud to make conversation clearer from the direction one wants, say Bose promotional materials. The CTA and Bose marks “create the same general overall commercial impression because the marks share the same appearance and connotation created by a similar ear and sound wave design,” said the PTO examiners. “The likelihood of confusion is increased in this case because the goods and/or services are closely related.” PTO examiners gave CTA a July 24 deadline to respond to the refusal letter. CTA didn’t comment on its next course of action. CTA unveiled the logo at a convention of the Hearing Loss Association of America and formally announced the logo June 22, which happened to be the day Bose applied at PTO to trademark the Bose Hear logo. The Bose logo has been in commercial use since “at least as early as” Nov. 28, 2016, said the application. Bose representatives didn’t comment.

​CTA’s October application to register as a “certification mark” the logo it designed to identify reputable over-the counter devices for consumers with mild or moderate hearing loss (see 1710170016) ran into roadblocks at the Patent and Trademark Office when examiners ruled the logo bears striking similarity to a Bose trademark for a headphone listening app, agency records show. CTA applied to register the logo to identify OTC hearing aids that meet minimum performance requirements as specified in the ANSI/CTA-2051 standard approved about a year ago. PTO examiners refused the application on grounds that the CTA logo is “sufficiently similar” to a logo for which Bose landed a trademark registration certificate on Jan. 16 and is using commercially to promote its Bose Hear listening-enhancement app to U.S. consumers through the App Store and at Google Play. When paired with specific models of Bose “Hearphones” headsets, the app “makes live listening better” by letting the user reduce noise or amplify softer sounds or adjust the “microphone arrays” on each earbud to make conversation clearer from the direction one wants, say Bose promotional materials. The CTA and Bose marks “create the same general overall commercial impression because the marks share the same appearance and connotation created by a similar ear and sound wave design,” said the PTO examiners. “The likelihood of confusion is increased in this case because the goods and/or services are closely related.” PTO examiners gave CTA a July 24 deadline to respond to the refusal letter. CTA didn’t comment on its next course of action. CTA unveiled the logo at a convention of the Hearing Loss Association of America and formally announced the logo June 22, which happened to be the day Bose applied at PTO to trademark the Bose Hear logo. The Bose logo has been in commercial use since “at least as early as” Nov. 28, 2016, said the application. Bose representatives didn’t comment.

The FCC released a draft order that would streamline wireless infrastructure rules in keeping with the push that started in the early days of the Ajit Pai chairmanship. Pai blogged Thursday that the changes are critical to 5G. Commissioner Brendan Carr, heading the FCC’s wireless infrastructure push, already highlighted many of the changes in a speech Wednesday (see 1802280031). A key American Indian group raised initial concerns. Among other items up for a vote at the March 22 meeting, as expected, are a Further NPRM on the 4.9 GHz band, changes to cell booster rules and deregulation for when satellite stations' parents have ownership changes. The meeting will start at 9:30 a.m., an hour earlier than normal.

The California Public Utilities Commission sought more time to comply with FCC elimination of a federal Lifeline low-income USF port freeze for voice and broadband services (see 1711160021). With the new rule to take effect March 19, the CPUC asked for an implementation extension until July 15 so it can determine what, if any, changes are needed to the state's LifeLine program, said a waiver petition posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. Also this week, a Telrite emergency petition sought a waiver extension of recertification and other rules for Lifeline subscribers in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands until the Wireline Bureau determines it would be in the public interest to lift the waivers. The Alaska Telephone Association said FCC grant of relief to Lifeline providers in the state from several minimum service duties would give eligible low-income Alaskans living in remote areas "a choice between mobile wireless or fixed service at affordable rates." ATA's reply comments noted NTCA and WTA supported its petition and there was no opposition (see 1712060038). Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands commended FCC efforts to address various policy initiatives raised in a recent NPRM, some of which faced much resistance in recent comments (see 1802210045 and 1802220061).

The California Public Utilities Commission sought more time to comply with FCC elimination of a federal Lifeline low-income USF port freeze for voice and broadband services (see 1711160021). With the new rule to take effect March 19, the CPUC asked for an implementation extension until July 15 so it can determine what, if any, changes are needed to the state's LifeLine program, said a waiver petition posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. Also this week, a Telrite emergency petition sought a waiver extension of recertification and other rules for Lifeline subscribers in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands until the Wireline Bureau determines it would be in the public interest to lift the waivers. The Alaska Telephone Association said FCC grant of relief to Lifeline providers in the state from several minimum service duties would give eligible low-income Alaskans living in remote areas "a choice between mobile wireless or fixed service at affordable rates." ATA's reply comments noted NTCA and WTA supported its petition and there was no opposition (see 1712060038). Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands commended FCC efforts to address various policy initiatives raised in a recent NPRM, some of which faced much resistance in recent comments (see 1802210045 and 1802220061).

The PyeongChang Olympics "were a great success" for Korean broadcasters that showcased ATSC 3.0 for Ultra HD video reception with high dynamic range, said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley on a Wednesday earnings call. The “first iteration” of 3.0 for Korean broadcasters “has just been focused on better resolution, better pictures, which we don’t think is the ultimate best use of that technology, and I think they’ll agree,” said Ripley. He also said Sinclair feels "we're getting close" to landing DOJ and FCC approval of the proposed Tribune buy, but opponents of the deal disagree (see 1802280047).

Commissioner Brendan Carr said FCC members will vote at their March 22 meeting on changes to rules on historic and environmental reviews of small cells and larger macro towers. More details will be available Thursday when Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to release items for the meeting. Carr and industry officials discussed 5G at a CTA event Wednesday. Many industry groups applauded the proposed changes.