Its Google Vs Apple now

Interesting. This could mean Apple counter suing for the UI of Android and finally getting at the heart of the matter. This could be a boon for MS and Blackberry if Google managed to get iOS banned and Apple get Android banned.

I wonder what the patent is? Also if it is a BS one where it is a component purchased from a company licensed to build it. Such as any WiFi or cellular radio patent.

 

Windows Phone is barely a zit in the market. Not worth Apple even thinking about.

 

Hopefully all this leads to a much needed reform of the patent system. I also would like for Google and Apple to kiss and make up, agree to licence stuff from each other and keep a good and healthy competition going. Really, there is room for both iOS and Android in the market and I would rather see both Google and Apple succeed and dominate the smartphone/tablet market with their respective platforms than to see one of them fail and open up a hole for the likes of RIM or Microsoft.

 

Why would that make it any less valid than a much more subjective design patent?

 

The particular patent talked about in that article is 6,246,862.

It's a patent on using a sensor to disable the touchscreen when you put a phone to your face. On the surface, that would seem to mean Apple owes Motorola for using that technique on the iPhone. (Or that Motorola could get a ban on iPhone imports.)

However, the way the claims are worded, it seems to only cover if the sensor circuit actually disables the touchscreen output. It seems doubtful that's the way Apple does it. More likely, the sensor signal goes to the processor and it uses the info as a flag to ignore the touchscreen output in software.

"a sensor coupled to the user interface, the sensor to disable communication of the input signal to the processing section when the portable communication device is positioned in close proximity to a user, thereby, preventing inadvertent actuation of the touch sensitive input device."

It's vague enough to be interpreted different ways, perhaps. A "sensor coupled to the user interface" could be interpreted as a software signal.

 

Although isn't the sensor just just the light sensor? Which is also used to adjust brightness based on ambient light. Is it a completely different sensor?

As I understand it. A patent doesn't cover a different approach for the same outcome. Otherwise many current patents are rehashes of much older products. In any case Apple has way more ammo against the Android GUI.