Apple Patents All Unlock Gestures.

[Jadak]

Isn't this sort of thing precisely why Apple fans hate Microsoft?

This is a stupid thing to patent. They might as well try and patent all smartphones while they're at it.

No, it's why anyone anti-apple hates Apple. The mainstream apple fan doesn't so much hate Microsoft as they are simply obsessed with Apple.

Anyways... On topic I don't really see the issue. Most people are complaining purely on the basis that the feature is in common usage. But who did it first? Isn't that the entire point of a patent, claiming rights to something you did first? As much as I dislike Apple, if they did indeed do this first, they have every right to do this, it just should have been in place a long time ago.

 

[timithy4569]

I'm guessing none of you guys know how a patent works. This is most likely a defensive patent so that no one else can patent the lock slide. Apple definitely doesn't want to get sued over someone claiming to have had the idea first and grabbed a patent. Most patents are made for defensive purposes. Most of the time, companies patent so that other's can't claim to have thought of it first.

Just a quick video on patents. (in regards to start-up businesses)
http://revision3.com/askjay/patents

 

[TheHecatomb]

Oh no! Soon Apple will patent fapping to weird fetish porn! I will be screwed :*(

Dear god no please! :'(

Thanks for ruining my day!

 

[SenseOfTumour]

After reading this, all I could think was that I've got a few gestures to aim at apple that they won't want to patent.

 

[Jayyy]

After reading this, all I could think was that I've got a few gestures to aim at apple that they won't want to patent.

Ah. Genius. Thank you. That made my day.

 

[NLS]

After reading this, all I could think was that I've got a few gestures to aim at apple that they won't want to patent.

Actually, they've already patented a few of those ones already, so that's gonna cost you a dollar :\

 

[SenseOfTumour]

After reading this, all I could think was that I've got a few gestures to aim at apple that they won't want to patent.

Actually, they've already patented a few of those ones already, so that's gonna cost you a dollar :\

*shakes fist at the sky*

damn you Apple!

*opens mail*

A bill for the usage of the shaky fist gesture? DAMMIT!

 

[Supertegwyn]

Somebody needs to bring Apple to court. There is no way this can be legal.

 

[tthor]

Nice. Steve Jobs croaks and Apple instantly goes insane... Gotta make 'em go the way of old yeller now...

*loads the shotgun* Let's take 'er out back, then...

 

[Henkie36]

Wow, that's... really pointless. Another reason to hate Apple: they're childish.

 

[JediMB]

Are the people in the patent office insane?

Yes. [/low-content post]

*coughs*

Really, the US Patent and Trademark Office is in need of a major overhaul.

In school, we were specifically told that it is not possible to patent something as vague as an idea. Yet idea patents go through all the time on the other side of the pond.

 

[TimeLord]

The thing I find the most funny about this is not that Apple tried. Kudos for trying.

It's that they got the patent.

 

[EHKOS]

But...but...Apple tried to patent the word pod years ago and they didn't get that!

 

[Quellist]

Wait, is this possible? We already have a huge number of products that use unlock gestures, couldn't this just be reversed in court in a number of minutes?

And how do you patent a finger movement? Isn't there laws to protect us from... our laws?

This kind of bullshit has been with us forever. In 1855 Rollin White patented a type of cylinder that had already been in use on revolvers for some time. Colt ended up paying him to be able to make their own guns.

What little respect i had for apple just vanished, now they are patent trolls, how much lower can they go?

 

[Aurgelmir]

Isn't there any patent law that prohibit you from patenting something already on the market and wildly used by everyone?

Yes there is. It's called "prior art." If you can prove that a patented procedure was already widely used before the patent, the patent can be nullified.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation knows how to bust unethical patents in electronic media. I hope this comes to their attention.

Thats what I though. And well this screen unlocking system is widely used by both Apple and Androide, and probably ohters.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

Is that the equivalent of pressing menu star on a normal mobile phone?
Why the hell would anyone want to patent something like that

 

[The Funslinger]

Nice. Steve Jobs croaks and Apple instantly goes insane... Gotta make 'em go the way of old yeller now...

I'll get the shotgun...

Really, the only thing we can do now is create a smartphone with an unlock gesture that involves drawing a giant cock. Or writing the word Microsoft. Or painstakingly reconstructing the Mona Lisa...

Those wankers...

 

[The Funslinger]

Isn't there any patent law that prohibit you from patenting something already on the market and wildly used by everyone?

Yes there is. It's called "prior art." If you can prove that a patented procedure was already widely used before the patent, the patent can be nullified.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation knows how to bust unethical patents in electronic media. I hope this comes to their attention.

Thats what I though. And well this screen unlocking system is widely used by both Apple and Androide, and probably ohters.

I'd forgotten about that. Well... not forgotten. It was at the back of my mind with my memory of how someone was trying to copyright a certain subscription model, but couldn't because Roosterteeth predated their use of it. Also, many people after, but their case wouldn't have been as strong.

Yeah, this'll last a week.