I got this info from Dave Kunz at Sussex County via the NJGF Parcel Mapping task force listserv. A company, Boundary Solutions, applied for, and received, a U.S. Patent 7,092,957. The patent is for what appears to be a web-based parcel mapping GIS integration process.

Abstract: A National Online Parcel-Level Map Data Portal (NPDP) isprovided that optimizes online delivery of parcel-level maps and linkedattribute data. To do this, the NPDP manages a database of assembledand current vector based parcel data in a spatial format (GIS) thatenables geocoded parcel boundaries to be linked to property taxrecords. A user enters a street address into an appropriate screenwindow to call up and view road right-of-ways, all parcel boundariesand the "exact" address location as a highlighted parcel area. Inaddition, a list of property record attributes such as owner, use code,assessed value and year constructed can be displayed.

We all know that companies and government agencies have been doing this for years. Does this patent make sense?