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InfoGation Announces OEM Version of Odyssey Navigation Software

29 June 1999

InfoGation Announces OEM Version of Odyssey Navigation Software for the Auto PC; Turnkey Navigation Solution Speeds OEM Products to Market

    SAN DIEGO--June 28, 1999--InfoGation Corp. today announced the Odyssey(TM) Navigation Engine, a set of software modules that will be marketed to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of automotive electronics who are creating in-vehicle computing systems. The new product allows InfoGation to deliver customized turnkey navigation solutions quickly and economically. It provides key features such as positioning the vehicle using GPS satellite and dead-reckoning sensors, displaying 2D and 3-D map views, calculating the route, and issuing voice guidance to the driver.
    The Odyssey Navigation Engine supports the open Auto PC platform powered by the Microsoft Windows CE operating system.
    InfoGation can combine a custom user interface with the navigation solution, allowing each OEM to create differentiated products with a unique look and feel. The OEM can incorporate selected navigation features into a product design that includes the OEM's choice of hardware elements for vehicle positioning and communications functions.
    Dr. Kent Pu, InfoGation president and CEO, said, "Our Odyssey Navigation Engine allows us to reduce the OEM's time to market by providing turnkey Windows CE navigation solutions that incorporate the OEM's custom user interface. InfoGation offers OEMs the most extensive development and integration services for the Auto PC available anywhere."



     Odyssey Navigation Engine supports a full range of navigation
features:

--   Vehicle Positioning-Retrieves position data from GPS and other
     devices and matches it to a point on the map.

--   Geocoding-Converts a user query into a geographic location.

--   Map Display-Transforms raw cartographic data into pixel locations
     on the Auto PC display. Supports both 2-D and 3-D map views.

--   Route Calculation-Calculates a best route based on user
     preferences and traffic information.

--   Maneuver Generation-Lists maneuver instructions associated with
     each turn in the route.

--   Route Guidance-Generates guidance announcements for the speech
     synthesis function of the Auto PC by matching the position of the
     vehicle with the list of maneuver instructions.


    In the US market, the Odyssey Navigation Engine supports map data from Navigation Technologies in the SDAL format and some of the Engine's functions derive from the incorporation of Navigation Technologies tools. In other markets, the Engine can be adapted to either Navigation Technologies or other map data formats.
    A wireless data link lets OEM developers incorporate real-time traffic information into the route guidance system. In the US, traffic data is widely available on FM sideband paging frequencies; for the European market, Radio Data System (RDS) is more commonly used. Both are supported by the Odyssey Navigation Engine.
    The Odyssey Navigation Engine supports GPS positioning devices and dead-reckoning sensors through device-independent interfaces. Direct support for other OEM-specified devices can also be provided.
    InfoGation's core technology is also used in the company's Odyssey navigation software, a consumer product distributed by Clarion for the Clarion AutoPC(TM) (http://www.autopc.com). Odyssey adds full-featured navigation to the Clarion AutoPC's in-dash audio and computing functions. Odyssey lets a driver view and reliably track the car's location on a map display, set a destination, and listen to spoken turn-by-turn route guidance with exact street names. A speech interface understands the driver's voice commands. The Odyssey Navigation Engine benefits from InfoGation's ongoing research and development, numerous cycles of field testing, and comprehensive consumer beta testing.

About InfoGation
    InfoGation Corporation is a leading developer of software for the mobile computing market. It provides both OEM and consumer products for in-vehicle computing systems based on the open Auto PC platform powered by the Windows CE operating system. InfoGation collaborated with Microsoft and Clarion in the development of the Auto PC platform specification, performed platform integration for the original Clarion AutoPC and wrote many of the device drivers. InfoGation is one of the first to deliver third-party applications for the platform. The privately held company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. The InfoGation web site is http://www.infogation.com.

    Editor's Note: A block diagram of the Odyssey Navigation Engine and a more complete description of the architecture can be found at http://www.infogation.com/oem.html.

    InfoGation and Odyssey are trademarks of InfoGation Corporation. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.