Apple wins major Multi-Touch patent that could bolster legal cases

[*LTD*]

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...-touch-patent-that-could-bolster-legal-c.html

Apple wins major Multi-Touch patent that could bolster legal cases

“The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 20 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today which includes three design wins which our report covers this morning,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.

“In addition, our report covers granted patents for iPhoto in relation to photo albums and books and another relating to a construction technique for an iOS device windowing system along with links to many other patents,” Purcher reports. “Yet the major patent of the day definitely goes to one relating to key attributes of Apple’s multi-touch technology and methodologies.”

“Apple’s competitors should definitely review this patent in detail should it ever be used against them in court,” Purcher reports. “While their multi-touch patent primarily relates to the original 2007 iPhone in a plethora of ways including its virtual keyboard, it also covers touch technologies as they relate to the iPod’s clickwheel and beyond. Additonally, the invention covers how to accurately translate a 2-D finger contact area on the touch screen information into a unique 1-D cursor position.”

Purcher reports, “The multi-touch patent also covers touch in relation with a number of known applications, such as: a telephone application, a video conferencing application, an e-mail application, an instant messaging application, a blogging application, a photo management application, a digital camera application, a digital video camera application, a web browsing application, a digital music player application, and/or a digital video player application.”

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How many more patents could Apple possibly have? More to the point, how many are yet to be granted?

Bottom line: If you can't compete in terms of patents, and if you don't have all your patent-ducks in a row, you'll be spending more time selling your story in court than selling your product in stores. Just another part of the new market realities post-2007 (and especially post-January 2010.)

 

[kdarling]

It seems like every month, some reporter (and thereafter a forum poster) says that the latest Apple multitouch patent is absolutely crucial and will surely put everyone else out of business.

Of course, that never turns out to be the case, since multitouch has been around for a long time.

This particular patent revolves around determining where to put the initial down point when you touch the screen. Intuitively, of course, your first choice is the closest object of interest, and sure enough there are already patents for that.

Apple's patent is for not only doing the usual closest object calculation, but by also factoring in nearby objects' assigned "susceptibility" numbers, which determine which one the cursor should gravitate more towards.

Surprising that they got such a patent, and it's especially handy for web links next to a button, but it's not critical.

 

[KingCrimson]

So basically Apple wants a world in which the only multi-touch consumer devices are theirs.

 

[*LTD*]

So basically Apple wants a world in which the only multi-touch consumer devices are theirs.

If you were Apple you'd want the same damn thing, LOL. That is the ultimate goal for anyone selling a product: to be the sole supplier. And you'd use every possible (legal) means to do it, especially when your products are the hottest on the market and look to remain that way. Who are we kidding.

That is, of course, the corporate perspective.

 

[(marc)]

So basically Apple wants a world in which the only multi-touch consumer devices are theirs.

Yes, they call it Think Different™.

 

[PS4DailyLove]

ok

 

[smoledman]

So did anything ever happen with that win?

 

[roadbloc]

Doesn't look like it. I own quite a few of multi-touch devices that aren't made by Apple. Unless they're licensing the technology to competitors.

I miss LTDs laughable threads.

 

[kdarling]

So did anything ever happen with that win?

Please read post #2, where I explained back then that it was not a patent on multi-touch.

The Patently Apple website is often terrible at deciphering patents.