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Telcontar Launches Drill Down Server to Support Telematics

28 April 2000

Telcontar Launches Drill Down Server to Support Telematics, Mobile Commerce and Wireless Geographic Services to Vehicles, Cell Phones, and PDAs.

    SAN JOSE, Calif.--April 27, 2000--Telcontar, the Silicon-Valley-based software and application service provider, is formally launching its Drill Down Server technology at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America's Meeting and Exposition in Boston, May 1 through 4.
    The Drill Down Server (DDS) is a revolutionary, 100% web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application server.
    The DDS is optimized to respond rapidly and efficiently to geospatial queries from a variety of clients, such as cell phones, PDAs, wireless and hybrid in-vehicle telematics, and navigation systems. In addition to wireless clients, the DDS can also respond to queries from LAN-based workstations or over the Internet.
    "The DDS redefines the boundaries of telematics content servers," explained Telcontar President Bill Schwegler. "It acts as a complete 'content-to-client' conduit" that delivers:



--  fast, powerful, and flexible access to map data -- map database
    source independence, including support for a "best-of-breed" map
    database assembled from the best available sources
--  complete functionality for vertical markets (vehicle navigation to
    asset management)
--  client development support for a full range of clients, from cell
    phones to work stations


    The server is scalable, capable of supporting millions of Internet users, telematic clients and net appliances. Said Schwegler: "The DDS provides real answers to eternal questions of: `where am I?', how do I get to where I want to go?', `how much longer is it going to take?', `what's over there?' and the classic `are we there yet?'
    "It's not an overstatement to say that telematics servers powered by the DDS will save lives, save time, and save money," he added. "The DDS will be at the heart of roadside assistance centers, as well as automatically providing door-to-door directions and real-time traffic information to wireless clients such as vehicles and cell phones.
    The DDS is optimized to "drill down" through as many layers of data overlays to a map as fast as possible and return the answers to a user's query. The DDS is data-density independent. It takes the DDS no longer to find the nearest five star restaurant than it does the nearest fast-food drive-through. "We expect the DDS to be at the heart of Mobile Commerce systems," said Schwegler.
    ATX Technologies Inc. is using Telcontar's DDS to assist in the development of software for a powerful telematics server. The server will enable rapid, seamless access to nationwide mapping resources and an open information platform to access millions of points of interest and real-time traffic incident updates. The server is expected to dramatically improve the response times for delivery of information to Protection One's mobile customers and allow the company to provide a greater variety of location-based services.
    Telcontar, based in San Jose, is a leading provider of street map data management, compression, route-finding and rendering tools for the personal and vehicle navigation markets. Telcontar's open map management software provides access to comprehensive worldwide map coverage and enables companies to deliver the ultimate navigational solutions to consumers and businesses today. When integrated with a variety of dashboard and handheld devices, Telcontar's solutions are ideal for the most advanced automotive, personal, vehicle location system, and security navigational applications.
    Founded in 1996, the company is establishing itself as the industry standard by providing patented fast, powerful access to base map data, integration with a wide variety of base maps, efficient data compression and storage and customizability for Microsoft AutoPC(TM), Windows CE(TM), Windows 95(TM), Windows 98(TM), Windows 2000(TM), Windows NT(TM), and UNIX(TM).