Uh oh Apple gets slide to unlock patented

[MagickMan]

i never said the iphone wasn't impressive or useful. but the simple fact is you cant patent something that has already existed

slide to unlock predates the iphone = patent invalid

Apple applied back in 2005, iPhone came out in 2007. I'm pretty sure the law would be more inclined to look at when the patent application was submitted, wouldn't they?

 

[Mopetar]

Once again, a lot of overreaction because the abstract sounds scary.

If you actually bother to read the claims it becomes quickly apparent that Apple isn't going to be able to sue anyone over this and if they did, it would be trivial to work around.

Claim 1 states that the unlock gesture is along a pre-defined path. Claim 3 goes on to further state that the displayed path is a channel. Claim 5 goes even further and states that it's a horizontal movement.

There are plenty of other implementations that are completely unlike this. One of my friends is using a custom ROM (not sure which, CM maybe.) on his gTab where the unlock screen involves dragging a circle to any number of icons that can appear on screen, whereby dragging to a particular icon will cause that app to be loaded on unlock. Completely different, and arguably a much better implementation.

It seems that other parties have already found other and better ways of handling device unlocking and I doubt that this will ever show up in court, because even if it does, it will take less than a day before it's been worked around. But don't let that get in the way of the usual uniformed circle-jerk about patents.

 

[Bitek]

What a

​

joke. The process for software patents needs to be completely overhauled.

X2

How something so basic gets patent is beyond me.
Can you imagine drug patents being like this?

"Consumption of object which may lead to improved bodily function"

Good job Apple. You are so innovative...

 

[Ns1]

X2

How something so basic gets patent is beyond me.
Can you imagine drug patents being like this?

"Consumption of object which may lead to improved bodily function"

Good job Apple. You are so innovative...

Apple is not the only one guilty of this.

 

[TuxDave]

i never said the iphone wasn't impressive or useful. but the simple fact is you cant patent something that has already existed

slide to unlock predates the iphone = patent invalid

"The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device."

Well if you want to get all technical, the device you showed didn't display an image telling you what to do to unlock the phone. So what you showed is different from what the patent is for.

 

[Bitek]

Apple is not the only one guilty of this.

Nope. Its clearly a mess. The point of patents was to encourage innovation by providing a payoff for all the work and investment put into developing a novel idea.

The system here stifles innovation IMO. No work went into this. No genius. Its only a device for self preservation and a cudgel to attack competitors. Apple is just the latest and most shameless patent troll. In my industry, patents come as as result of months and often years of r&d and are specific technological novelties. The ideas deserve some protection. This patent could be done by an intern on lunchbreak. Its stupid, obvious and overly broad.

It just costs the customers in slower innovation and more money to pay for all lawsuits and cross competing licensing.

 

[MrX8503]

Apple is just the latest and most shameless patent troll. In my industry, patents come as as result of months and often years of r&d and are specific technological novelties. The ideas deserve some protection. This patent could be done by an intern on lunchbreak. Its stupid, obvious and overly broad.

It just costs the customers in slower innovation and more money to pay for all lawsuits and cross competing licensing.

You don't think Apple spent years and millions-billions of dollars in R&D in creating the highly successful iPod/iPhone/iPad trio? If not, then you're delusional.

Something genius doesn't have to be complicated, it can be simple too. Sometimes the simple things are hard to think of and is only a "duh" moment AFTER its been thought of.

If you don't think Apple created anything innovative, stop using android tablets, mp3 players, and smartphones.