Suit seeks shutdown of Google Earth until case settled: "Suit seeks shutdown of Google Earth until case settled Susan Decker - Bloomberg News Jan. 6, 2006 12:05 PM Google Inc.'s mapping search service, Google Earth, should be shut down until a lawsuit over its underlying technology is resolved, Skyline Software Systems Inc., owner of the patent at issue in the case, said in court papers. Closely held Skyline filed a patent-infringement suit in May 2004 against Keyhole Corp., a maker of software that allows users to take a virtual tour of landscapes using images and data collected from satellites and airplanes. Google, the world's most-used Internet search engine, was added to the suit after it bought Keyhole in October 2004. In court papers filed Jan. 4 in Boston, Skyline said user access to Google Earth should be suspended while the suit is pending. Google slashed the price of Keyhole's services, added a free version and as a result 'has eclipsed its competitors in this market,' Skyline said."