Apple Awarded iPhone and Multi-Touch Patent

[MacRumors]

Perhaps adding teeth to Apple's recent comments that they would vigorously defend their intellectual property behind the iPhone, World of Apple notes that the U.S. Patent Office has awarded Apple the patent on their application titled Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics.

The mammoth 358 page patent application incorporates patent applications filed as far back as September 2006 and has been previously dubbed "The iPhone Patent" by some. The application details the implementation of Multi-Touch on the iPhone alongside numerous diagrams of the device itself:

A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises: detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command.

Steve Jobs is prominently listed amongst the inventors along with other notable individuals such as Scott Forstall and Wayne Westerman.





Article Link: Apple Awarded iPhone and Multi-Touch Patent

[plumbingandtech]

Apple to Pre:

Bite me.

[Tallest Skil]

And tomorrow: The Apple vs. Palm suit.

Go get 'em, Apple.

I hope that we see Steve Jobs at the hearing...

Actually, while I don't hope that he is medically compromised, it would be more awesome to see him videoconferencing into the courtroom WHILE having surgery than to see him in person.

[MrM]

Good for Apple. It's a great idea.

[Packersfan27]

I really don't see this affecting the Pre.

[DJJONES]

i was always wondering why all these companies was using multitouch in there devices

now i see that apple is the true owner.

will all these companies be sued?

[BoyBach]

Listen carefully. That sound you can hear is that of the mobile phone manufacturers returning to their collective drawing boards after checking their bank accounts!

The Apple iLawyers smell blood...

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by DJJONES

will all these companies be sued?

Apple would be suing Palm, Microsoft, and HP, among them.

Let's see it happen, shall we?

[arn]

Originally Posted by DJJONES

i was always wondering why all these companies was using multitouch in there devices

Isn't the Pre the only other phone with multitouch?

arn

[plumbingandtech]

Originally Posted by Packersfan27

I really don't see this affecting the Pre.

Because............................................................


Edit:

Arn: basically correct, at least in any way other then a gimmick.

[Shaved Kitty]

another one of those Monopoly Patents

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by arn

Isn't the Pre the only other phone with multitouch?

arn

Phone, yes, but there's Microsoft with the Surface (big... table ) and HP with their TouchSmart line (I think they use multitouch).

And Shaved Kitty, if it's a monopoly patent, why isn't the EU complaining?

[ZiggyPastorius]

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil

Phone, yes, but there's Microsoft with the Surface (big... table ) and HP with their TouchSmart line (I think they use multitouch).

You mean their touchscreen computer? When I tried it in the store, I couldn't get it to register multiple fingers period. Perhaps I was doing it wrong, though.

[fcpdude]

Does that mean the Storm is done for...and if that's true...does 'Jim Halpert' lose his VoiceOver job?

[big dainjerus]

Yeah I don't understand why anyone here would think this is a good thing. The iphone as it stands right now needs a kick in the ass by its competitors (the pre), and without them apple will rest on its laurels, take all your money in the meantime, and never put in MMS, video recording, multitasking, cut and paste etc.

Now if the new iphone in June has all that then I might be ok with it, but this looks to me like Apple is slowly but surely becoming the devil.

But does this mean that the other phones can't use a form of multi touch, or if they do they have to pay apple royalties?

If apple puts the market on lockdown without releasing an iphone worthy of anything I think this is bad, but then some here don't mind being at the whim of apple. Apple tells you what you can and can't use, what service provider you must use, what features are good for you and aren't good for you, what to wear, how to think...

[Keebler]

i wonder if Apple (can) would go after RIM for the blackberry storm?

Shaved Kitty - how can this be another monopoly if THEY invented it? I normally give folks their due with respect for another's ideas, but in this case, you're wrong. I don't see it as a monopoly at all if they invented the interface and related technology.

It's not like making an operating system and then forcing it on everyone.

[SydneyDev]

Originally Posted by Packersfan27

I really don't see this affecting the Pre.

Apple now has a patent on "detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display [...] to determine a command for the device, and processing the command."

That would seem to be Pre territory...

[zombitronic]

Originally Posted by big dainjerus

without them apple will rest on its laurels

I don't think Apple ever rests on its laurels.

I wonder if this patent documents any aspect of the iPhone's home screen layout. I don't think there's a smart phone out there anymore that doesn't rip this off.

[arturb]

let's see who's first in court!

[slicecom]

This is bad news. Competition is good and makes for better products.

[stefan24]

Originally Posted by Shaved Kitty

another one of those Monopoly Patents

The voice of reason after reading a couple of posts regarding Apple's possible new rights to sue it's competition.

I do agree it is great to have a patient to protect your intellectual property, but this comes at a cost of stifling and restrict innovation.

I would much prefer an industry that allows innovation and competition for we all win due to the lengths companies will go to makes the best products and services.

[NT1440]

Originally Posted by stefan24

The voice of reason after reading a couple of posts regarding Apple's possible new rights to sue it's competition.

I do agree it is great to have a patient to protect your intellectual property, but this comes at a cost of stifling and restrict innovation.

I would much prefer an industry that allows innovation and competition for we all win due to the lengths companies will go to makes the best products and services.

There can still be compitetion, phone makers just have to get off their asses and come up with something new instead of slapping a multi touch screen on there.

[Peace]

Originally Posted by slicecom

This is bad news. Competition is good and makes for better products.

While that may be true this patent shows that Apple did it first. That's a fact now. Legally. This won't keep other companies from using touch but when they do they better get permission to use "multi-touch" from Apple.

[zombitronic]

Originally Posted by slicecom

This is bad news. Competition is good and makes for better products.

This isn't as much about blocking competition as it is about protecting what Apple has created. If the competition brings something new, different, and better to the table, great. I welcome that, and as Tim Cook has said, "We like competition, as long as they don't rip off our IP."

Now, if this "competition" is merely creating an iPhone clone, I believe that they should be sent back to the drawing board and be forced to innovate for themselves. That's the competition that will drive innovation. Rip-offs will not.

[plumbingandtech]

Pre is also infringing on a Microsoft patent for sucky OSes...

I mean HTML and javascript for your OS?????.....