Apple Wins Broad Patent on iPhone Multi-Touch User Interface

[Dorje Sylas]

Ouch, when Apple has a chance to slam on the innovation breaks everyone trying to draft/tailgate Apple is going in trouble. Especially since unlike in the early days Apple is no longer in tissue thin situation, more like a tank.

Is there any prior art for these kinds of interfaces?

Like the Samsung case this could really hurt the smartphone market. Hurt it too much and Apple starts coming out looking like a monopoly.... Which is unfortunate because it does seem no one else can come up with good ideas, for multi-touch interfaces anyways.

 

[Les Kern]

Predict it will be like this: Either a company invents a whole new method or they pay Apple. Even in these monopoly-loving days of corporatist rule, Apple will not be allowed to shut anyone down. Won't happen.

 

[*LTD*]

Thanks.

Patent doesn't cover what everyone says. It covers only the use of one finger to move a web page while using two fingers to scroll a frame. (or m fingers and n fingers).

To infringe, you need to do both.

I'm glad someone read through it.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[skunk]

Interesting, trying to figure that one out. Could be good for photography apps when dealing with large photos. Whatever it is, sure it will be great!

Surely you jest?

 

[reactions]

Everyone give up. Apple won. Figure out something innovative on your own.

(Sorry...had to FanBoi the crap out of that one)

If everyone gave up we still wouldn't have a revamped notification system for ios5

Apple isn't stupid - they have white chalkboard with what features theyll release for each model no doubt milking consumers for every penny.

That said - bring it On - competition

 

[dethmaShine]

My crystal ball. It's *very* effective.

I could make you one, if you like. PM me for a price list.

Can't believe people come into serious discussions with such comments.

Not even funny.

 

[cmaier]

I'm glad someone read through it.

Thanks for clarifying.

Question is whether the competition does this. Simple (but somewhat sucky in practice) work-around would be press-and-hold the frame and then drag, for example.

Anyway, Arn, read the claims before you proclaim a patent broad!

 

[benthewraith]

Apple sues Android handset alliance members for multitouch.

Google sues Apple for notifications.

Millions of dollars flow between companies, lawyers make money, nothing of consequence happens to consumers.

 

[ChrisTX]

I think a lot of these awarded patents are way too broad and stifle creativity. Whether it is Lodys or Apple, some of these patents are just a logical progression of ideas.

They're only "way too broad" because now EVERYONE is copying, and using for free Apples ideas on multitouch. People tend to forget that before the first iPhone in 2007 no one was pinching to zoom, using double tap, slide to unlock, etc. It's only broad when you forget where all of this came from.

 

[viscanti]

Thanks.

Patent doesn't cover what everyone says. It covers only the use of one finger to move a web page while using two fingers to scroll a frame. (or m fingers and n fingers).

To infringe, you need to do both.

You read the whole 300+ page patent in 15 min? Oh, you didn't even read the linked summary and you have no idea what you're talking about? It's a patent for a "n" finger interface. That means that anyone who uses multi finger gestures to change what's displayed is infringing. It's the very definition of a broad patent.

Not infringing = 1 finger controls everything.
Infringing = Anything that utilizes a different # of fingers to do different things; for scrolling, zooming, etc.

 

[kdarling]

This makes sense. Apple may not have invented touch screens, but their specific mult-touch gestures seemed to be uniquely Apple when the iPhone first came out.

Hardly. The only multi-touch gesture specific to Apple that I can think of, is their three-finger handicapped zoom mode switcher.

Now, of course, people copied them and they are in use all over the place, but back in 2007 . . . not so much.

The history of touch did not begin in 2007

To those of us developing on touchscreens for decades before Apple, they brought nothing unusual to the table. (I myself first developed on capacitive screens starting in 1992. If you went to Foxwoods and other casinos back then, you might've used my work.)

This patent needs to be struck down as obvious to anyone practiced in the art. Using multiple fingers is a time-honored way of expressing alternative actions on a multi-touch screen, as seen by pinch gestures back in the early '90s, and by the use of more than one finger to denote ctrl-Click or context actions.

(This patent reminds me of the one Apple's trying to get for imitating knob rotations with two fingers, another gesture that's been done for years.)

 

[Tones2]

Apple sues Android handset alliance members for multitouch.

Google sues Apple for notifications.

Millions of dollars flow between companies, lawyers make money, nothing of consequence happens to consumers.

...except higher prices.

Tony

 

[Sabenth]

well its taken all this time too get the patent suppose a bit more time more law suites will be in the courts behind closed doors for fear of spys snooping on company ideas and not just apple but all company's that use touch for there products

 

[cmaier]

You read the whole 300+ page patent in 15 min? Oh, you didn't even read the linked summary and you have no idea what you're talking about? It's a patent for a "n" finger interface. That means that anyone who uses multi finger gestures to change what's displayed is infringing. It's the very definition of a broad patent.

Not infringing = 1 finger controls everything.
Infringing = Anything that utilizes a different # of fingers to do different things; for scrolling, zooming, etc.

Wrong. Read the claims. Only the claims define the scope of infringement.

 

[whooleytoo]

Patent is very narrow. Article is wrong.

I really hope you're right. Broad patents = BAD.

I've no problem with 'patent trolls' who come up with a specific innovation, but don't have the means to implement it in a shipping product. I've a huge problem with broad/vague patents used either to stifle competition, or to impose a 'tax' upon them.

It seems this patent isn't as broad as the article suggests, I hope that's so.

 

[kdarling]

You read the whole 300+ page patent in 15 min? Oh, you didn't even read the linked summary and you have no idea what you're talking about? It's a patent for a "n" finger interface. That means that anyone who uses multi finger gestures to change what's displayed is infringing. It's the very definition of a broad patent.

1) You only have to read and understand the claims.

2) Cmaier works for a patent firm.

3) I also read the patent and it is as he says: it's about scrolling a frame within a larger window, by using a different number of fingers.

As I noted above, that's a patent that could cause trouble, but it also needs to be struck down as obvious. I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft showed up with some prior art from their Surface project.

 

[Azathoth]

Good. Now maybe Apple can shut down these stupid "we're better than the iPhone because we're droid" idiots. I've used 6 different iPhone killers for a month each at a time and not even one of them came close. Each month of a different phone was hell, too. I'm sick to DEATH of people telling me what they can do with their droid when my iPhone can also do it, and do it better and for free (TETHERING) when it's jailbroken.

"Well, yeah. But then you have to jailbreak it..."

Well... Jailbreaking takes 20 minutes. A fragmented OS lasts forever.

The only people I'm really jealous of are people using their smartphones on T Mobile. I REALLY want my iPhone on the best service possible. The best phone in the world can not be the phone it could be on the worlds worst carrier.

Verizon isn't much better than ATT. But then again I'm thinking back to the experience I had in '06 when I had to cancel my dad's Verizon plan. Took 3 phone calls, 2 hours, 28 /facepalms and a sore throat from screaming at them so much to just cancel my service. Oh, and we STILL got bills for $45/month for 6 months after until we filed for Arbitration with them, along with the BBB. I would NEVER go back to Verizon after that. It would take something really awesome to make me want to switch to them.

I went off topic. Good job, Apple! Shut down as many droids as you can! Make them come up with something else!

Haha, where to even start with this one...


As to the patent - to me it seemed the claims were based on (web) pages - so this could impact browser interaction. It also reminded me how much I hate reading patents. I mean seriously, can't patent lawyers join some kind of Clear Language campaign? They make journal papers look like a Berstein Bears book.

 

[Tones2]

You read the whole 300+ page patent in 15 min? Oh, you didn't even read the linked summary and you have no idea what you're talking about? It's a patent for a "n" finger interface. That means that anyone who uses multi finger gestures to change what's displayed is infringing. It's the very definition of a broad patent.

Not infringing = 1 finger controls everything.
Infringing = Anything that utilizes a different # of fingers to do different things; for scrolling, zooming, etc.

Of course, Apple copied the idea of having any type of touchscreen smartphone in the first place. Who has the patent on THAT? I really wish that patent law would stop companies from patenting ideas that are self evident or this generic.

And I STILL can't understand why you are all so HAPPY that Apple wins on a patent - it just means less competition which means less innovation and higher prices. YEA!!

Tony

 

[ChrisTX]

Predict it will be like this: Either a company invents a whole new method or they pay Apple. Even in these monopoly-loving days of corporatist rule, Apple will not be allowed to shut anyone down. Won't happen.

Nokia tried implementing, a swirl to zoom gesture on the N900 in Maemo 5, but to be honest it looked really silly in practice.

 

[darbus69]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Everyone give up. Apple won. Figure out something innovative on your own.

(Sorry...had to FanBoi the crap out of that one)

If everyone gave up we still wouldn't have a revamped notification system for ios5

Apple isn't stupid - they have white chalkboard with what features theyll release for each model no doubt milking consumers for every penny.

That said - bring it On - competition

talk like that sounds like envious rant rather that direct knowledge of Apples policies. Is it possible, all of you doubters, that Apple integrates new features ONLY when done in such a way to be smooth and seamless (sound familiar?) After listening and seeing people rant about all the problems with other smartphones how can you accuse Apple of "milking" and holding back???

 

[MH01]

My crystal ball. It's *very* effective.

I could make you one, if you like. PM me for a price list.

How about you lay off the Apple Koolaid for a while, its making you see stuff....that frankly is not real...

 

[johncarync]

 

[0815]

I hope they use this patent mainly as 'defensive' weapon when targeted by others for counter suits and not to put a hold on other companies that innovate around similar ideas.

In the company I work for we also have plenty of patents - but not to start law suits against other companies, but to protect ourself from law suits from other companies doing similar stuff.

 

[ShiftyPig]

Does MR know what the definition of broad is? Because this isn't broad.

The quality of writing here has taken a dramatic turn for the worse in the last month or so.

 

[Lone Deranger]

However, sued competitors = less innovation all around.

Really? I think it's just the opposite. In this case, rather than looking at an iPhone and copying that, the competitors will now have to think for themselves for a change.
The way Apple decided to do the iPhone, it's GUI, the user experience, the Appstore, etc. is not the only way to do a Mobile phone. However, looking at the majority of the competition's product line you'd be forgiven if you'd thought otherwise.
I'd rather see Samsung, HTC, Nokia, etc, come up with their own solution to mobile communication. If they can, and are prepared to invest in such a project for the long haul, just like Apple did (remember, Apple worked for years in secret before they felt they got it right), we might actually see some true innovation.