[vtbert3]

Ooops, title should read "Apple gets important patent...", anyway...

The patent covers, among other things, "many of the methods used by the iPhone to display data, such as pinch-to-zoom Web browsing and swipe-to-scroll."

Apple awarded key iPhone multitouch patent | Apple - CNET News

Might mean Storm is never legally going to get kinetic or swipe scrolling.

[Rider-on-the-storm]

Might mean Storm is never legally going to get kinetic or swipe scrolling.

But...in the photo viewer we already have swipe? I cant see how the pinch or "Multi touch" concept is Macs idea, I thought it was a Microsoft idea years ago?

[AllenBeasley]

That been a mac patent for ever. That the main reason storms don't have multitouch.
T-mobile g1's got multitouch capabilities, but the software doesn't support it.
G1 is hoping the patent will be lifted, then they just need a software update.
The current storm screen doesnt support multitouch... Even if the software allowed it.
Apple does not have a patent for "swipe"...yet. MWAAHAAHAA!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jradaj]

I'd be interested in seeing the actual patented material, if it's actually using specific input motions to control the device, or if it's just their specific code used to translate the motions into device commands.

Edit: just read the patent from the link, and it seems that there are going to be only two avenues in regards to touch screen devices:
1) Apple is going to essentially own the rights to any and all touch screen device software using tactile input from finger motions.
OR
2) This patent is will not hold up in its current form, based on the fact that it is claiming the use of finger motions on a touch screen are the exclusive intellectual property of Apple.

Personally, I don't see how this could be granted a patent in its current form, as I don't think that anyone should be granted the legal rights detailed in the patent. I can see making Apple's specific code and UI/OS proprietary, but owning the rights to heuristic input on a touch screen device seems to be too broad of a patent.

[BrianW2007]

That been a mac patent for ever. That the main reason storms don't have multitouch.
T-mobile g1's got multitouch capabilities, but the software doesn't support it.
G1 is hoping the patent will be lifted, then they just need a software update.
The current storm screen doesnt support multitouch... Even if the software allowed it.
Apple does not have a patent for "swipe"...yet. MWAAHAAHAA!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

how does the storm not have multitouch?

[Croe]

I just want to know when anyone making a touch screen phone will come out with one we can use with gloves when the weather is cold. I have seen the special gloves for them, but REALLY...who is going to buy that. Until then I have those mittens that you can uncover your fingerd without having to take off the whole glove.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[TrendyProfessional1]

Remember a few years back HD tried to patent the sound of their exhaust system. It was denied; maybe the same scenario here, just my take on it.
I am sure RIM has attorneys too..............

[mdude85]

That been a mac patent for ever. That the main reason storms don't have multitouch.
T-mobile g1's got multitouch capabilities, but the software doesn't support it.
G1 is hoping the patent will be lifted, then they just need a software update.
The current storm screen doesnt support multitouch... Even if the software allowed it.
Apple does not have a patent for "swipe"...yet. MWAAHAAHAA!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

So much misinformation here I don't even know where to start ... First, this has not been an Apple (read: not Mac ... Mac is just a brand, Apple is the company) patent "forever". Second, Storm does have multitouch. Third, you don't "lift" a patent. A patent can be re-examined so as to reopen prosecution on its merits.

[JRSCCivic98]

That been a mac patent for ever. That the main reason storms don't have multitouch.
T-mobile g1's got multitouch capabilities, but the software doesn't support it.
G1 is hoping the patent will be lifted, then they just need a software update.
The current storm screen doesnt support multitouch... Even if the software allowed it.
Apple does not have a patent for "swipe"...yet. MWAAHAAHAA!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

The Storm does have multitouch. It's used in the message lists to select more then one thing and also used when editing text to select a block of text. You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mdude85]

I'd be interested in seeing the actual patented material, if it's actually using specific input motions to control the device, or if it's just their specific code used to translate the motions into device commands.

Edit: just read the patent from the link, and it seems that there are going to be only two avenues in regards to touch screen devices:
1) Apple is going to essentially own the rights to any and all touch screen device software using tactile input from finger motions.
OR
2) This patent is will not hold up in its current form, based on the fact that it is claiming the use of finger motions on a touch screen are the exclusive intellectual property of Apple.

Personally, I don't see how this could be granted a patent in its current form, as I don't think that anyone should be granted the legal rights detailed in the patent. I can see making Apple's specific code and UI/OS proprietary, but owning the rights to heuristic input on a touch screen device seems to be too broad of a patent.

That's actually NOT what the patent is claiming -- did you actually read the claims? Remember that the bounds of the protection on this patent are only covered by the claims themselves and not anything else contained in the patent.

[AllenBeasley]

Multitouch being someone IP is pretty dumb. What if that was done with keyboards? Mac users would be typing normal and pc users would be pecking away.

That's not multi touch. The screen isn't capable if true multitouch.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[BrianW2007]

The Storm does have multitouch. It's used in the message lists to select more then one thing and also used when editing text to select a block of text. You obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

+1, I was thinking "what is copy and paste then?" lol

[derekflint]

This is something that will be around for a while - it looks like, if anything, Palm will be facing Apple over this first, unless everyone just decides to sit on their hands after all.

Patent cases are getting ridiculous, and not all are acted on - there was suspicion a couple of years ago that Nintendo could exercise a patent over online gaming that could force Microsoft to shut down Xbox live.

[Romple]

us patent system= bonked

[snork]

wtf is wrong with apple.. this technology was introduced in 2006

Jeff Han demos his breakthrough touchscreen | Video on TED.com

pretty shi++y of them to try and limit innovation by claiming they had this technology first.

[howie]

snork, then submit that to the USPO as it's "previous art" and they may reexamine the patent.

[jradaj]

That's actually NOT what the patent is claiming -- did you actually read the claims? Remember that the bounds of the protection on this patent are only covered by the claims themselves and not anything else contained in the patent.

I'm not necessarily referring specifically to the patent, more so what is going to come out of the inevitable legal challenges to said patent. Eventually, there probably will be a ruling on the scope of this patent, as I'm sure that Apple will make the arguments that the patent applies to a somewhat broader scope of devices/operations against the argument that will probably be brought against the patent by Palm/RIM/et al, that this patent should only apply to Apple's specific code and OS.

In a nutshell, I can see this patent providing legal justification for Apple pushing for patent infringement against companies using capacitative screens and multiple means of input from finger motions. Although, it could just as easily be dismantled via legal challenges from other smart phone device makers.

[fcortese]

This really effects the Palm Pre more than Storm or any BB. I think Apple will go after Palm especially since its former VP helped design the new Palm OS and it has a awfully amount of iPhone-likeness in its actions.

[gabeevans6364]

My 80gb microsoft zune has swipe control on the touchpad

[admile3]

The screen isn't capable if true multitouch.

Oh is that so? Multitouch is obviously present in selecting multiple texts/emails at once (one finger on first text, one on last, and it'll select everything in between) and in the selection of text for copy and paste. And if by "Multitouch" you're referring to the whole "pinch to zoom" stuff, the thread above obviously shows that "true" multitouch as you seem to interpret it, is certainly possible, it just wasnt written into the OS code by RIM. However, it's quite obvious the screen is capable of multitouch. People said the exact same thing about the G1 since it wasnt written in the code by Google or HTC, yet there have been a couple applications written now that show it's more than capable. Do some research first...

[vtbert3]

This really effects the Palm Pre more than Storm or any BB. I think Apple will go after Palm especially since its former VP helped design the new Palm OS and it has a awfully amount of iPhone-likeness in its actions.

The Storm also uses swipe scrolling both verticle and horizontal, plus horizontal swipe to go to different conversations in BBM etc. So why wouldn't Apple come after RIM too/first, a very big competitor to Apple in the consumer market, more so that Palm.

[jakeh0]

i think that in this situation the patent hinders innovation by making companies now come up with a second-rate solution as the best one has been patented

[vtbert3]

i think that in this situation the patent hinders innovation by making companies now come up with a second-rate solution as the best one has been patented

The counter argument is obviously that this would encourage innovation because now companies may be forced to innovate new ways to navigate touch screens with gestures... Anyway, this patent appears to be patenting obvious gestures.

[paulmike3]

i think that in this situation the patent hinders innovation by making companies now come up with a second-rate solution as the best one has been patented

Exactly. Anyone with an iPhone should be pretty upset about this. Whether they want to admit it or not, competing products spur technology. This patent will force anyone with an iPhone to eat whatever Apple feeds them (think dictatorship; no pun intended), since Apple won't have direct competition with it's technology.

[jradaj]

Anyway, this patent appears to be patenting obvious gestures.

I agree, it seems that this patent is unnecessarily broad, as it is could be easily construed in legal arguments that the patent covers software that decides whether a motion should result in a 1d (scrolling up or down) or 2d (panning, such as on webpages too large to render fully on screen) response from the device, as well as how to interpret and what do do with input from multiple points simultaneously on the touch screen.

Again, I can see this patent holding up for the specific code in the programming language specific to Apple products, but I don't think there is justification for extending this patent to material written in other programming languages, as this should certainly be interpreted as being separate intellectual property from the proprietary material under Apple's patent.