Hi ! I'm Robin Lovelock of www.gpss.co.uk and the GPS Software from Sunninghill.

This "Open Letter" is aimed at those working within large and small companies involved in the provision of map data suitable for use in GPS navigation products. These might include major players such as Navteq, TeleAtlas, AND Mapping, and Government agencies that own source digital mapping, such as the US Census Bureau or UK Ordnance Survey. It is possible that the letter will also be of interest to smaller business units who are involved in the relevant GPS navigation software and/or data.

I hope this letter reaches the right people, leading to exploratory discussion - perhaps leading to collaboration.

It occurs to me that 2008 could be the year* that our GPS Software is extended to include "turn by turn guidance". e.g. "at the crossroads, turn left, towards Ascot". The Pocket PC version of GPSS is now being used in many of the 162 countries in which our full Windows version, released in 1995, are used. Some of these countries, such as USA and western Europe, have the required mapping data available, and it is for these that I wish to investigate the possabilities: first "commercially" and then "technically".

Possible areas of collaboration might include:

• your provision of GPSS-compatible Route Guidance Instruction (RGI) files.
  e.g. as an option on the guidance from Google Earth between locations.
  e.g. as an option from CD/DVD products such as Microsoft Trips/AutoRoute.
• your provision of suitable "link-and-node" data for direct use by GPSS.
  e.g. as downloads from your websites for use with GPSS-compatible software.
  e.g. licenced to others to distribute, for use with GPSS.

I am sure there are many other alternatives that would make "business sense" for all of us.

You will find no lack of information about myself, our business, and the GPS Software product on www.gpss.co.uk. I suggest you start with the standard links including About and Business at the top of this page. You could also visit the Pocket PC page. The technically inclined may wish to visit the LINKMAN page. Then please visit our contact page.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Robin Lovelock
February 2008.

* Footnote by Robin in September 2008: GPSSppc v11 released in September 2008, supports Automatic Route Planning, display of the dynamic re-calculated route, and Turn-By-Turn Guidance, and has been delivered to the first customers in Greece.

© 1991-2008 Robin Lovelock, Sunninghill Systems.
Robin Lovelock, Sunninghill Systems, 22 Armitage Court, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berks SL5 9TA, United Kingdom.
Sunninghill Systems International Limited and Sunninghill Software Limited are registered at the above address.