Apple Granted Slide-to-Unlock Screen Patent; Potentially Grim News for Android

[dgstorm]

Apparently, the US Patent & Trademark Office recently granted the "slide-to-unlock" patent to Apple. This could potentially portend a slew of new lawsuits from Apple against Android manufacturers, especially since so many Android devices use this type of unlock system. It's important to note that this patent was actually applied for back in 2005, so it's not something Apple was being a sneaky about. Here's a tidbit from the patent,

A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. 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. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture. In addition, there is a need for sensory feedback to the user regarding progress towards satisfaction of a user input condition that is required for the transition to occur.

The folks credited for the invention are iOS chief, Scott Forstall and Apple engineers Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Freddy Allen Anzures, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay and Greg Christie. At this point, it is unknown as to whether the new unlock mechanism in Android 4.0/ICS will be impacted by this, but we will keep you informed as things develop.

Source: Android.net via 9to5Mac

 

[Heywood]

Bummer

 

[dlcramer]

I dont slide to "unlock". I slide to access my keypad to unlock

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[Chizzele]

Since ICS implemented the new Facial unlock i don't think this is a big deal for Andy.. :icon_ lala:

 

[Big Dawg 23]

This is complete BS. I just say WTF!!! Reading the description would leave me to believe Pattern unlock would be separate.

 

[JohnnytheK]

Except it was invented back in 2002 not by Apple.

From Appleinsider and also Android Central:

Despite ordering a preliminary injunction against sales of three Samsung smartphones on this week, a Dutch judge dismissed Apple’s "slide-to-unlock" patent as "not inventive," and therefore likely invalid.

Samsung's Galaxy S II, the Galaxy S and the Galaxy S Ace were found this week in a preliminary ruling to have infringed on a patent related to "flicking" or "bouncing" of photos. But that's just one patent out of the ten patents asserted by Apple against Samsung in the Netherlands trial.

Out of these unsuccessful infringement allegations, one stand-out is U.S. Patent No. 7,657,849, or the "slide-to-unlock" patent. That very same invention happens to be part of other Apple legal disputes with HTC and Motorola.

But the European counterpart of the slide-to-unlock patent has been found to be "obvious (as compared to prior art presented by Samsung) and therefore invalid," according to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents.

Samsung showed the court a previous European Windows CE handset design, the Neonode N1m, manufactured by a Swedish company in 2005 before Dec. 23, which is date when Apple filed for the slide-to-unlock patent. In light of this evidence. the Dutch judge concluded that Apple's patent claims are "not inventive," as in this case as the Neonode N1m “already implemented the entirety of Apple’s claimed invention,” Mueller said

 

[akhi216]

That's CrApple for you: borrow someone else's idea then patent it with the screwed up patent system.

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[GuiltyBreak]

wow whats next ... some how apple will have some patent out there for flip open phones

 

[Shadez]

This has to be one of the most frivolous lawsuits I ever heard of. It's like trying to patent 'opening a door'.

 

[akhi216]

This has to be one of the most frivolous lawsuits I ever heard of. It's like trying to patent 'opening a door'.

Yeah the next thing you know they'll be trying to trademark use of the word Apple.

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[ezizzle95]

This is a perfect example of a company thats aware of its future and is doing everything they can to hold on. I wish these "patent" battles were more mainstream so everyday apple users could see how pathetic their beloved electronics company is, they can't compete so there going to make problems where they can.

 

[lonndoggie]

Yeah the next thing you know they'll be trying to trademark use of the word Apple.

I'm guessing you already know this, but they've been down that road, sort of...but they were always the ones under attack.

Apple Corps v Apple Computer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SoDroid]

I don't understand how Apple can sue based on an arbitrary finger gesture and Google isn't suing Apple for stealing the notification bar. That seems like a much more specific UI aesthetic. Google or Samsung needs to patent the facial recognition to unlock, and unlock pattern if possible and the fingerprint to unlock from the Atrix. This is getting beyond ridiculous. And someone please sue Apple for theft of the notification bar!

 

[sparty569]

If forced to, cant Android switch to the Pull down to unlock, like MIUI uses? Or the, what I think is stupid, fit the puzzle piece into it's place to unlock?

 

[cush2push]

I don't understand how Apple can sue based on an arbitrary finger gesture and Google isn't suing Apple for stealing the notification bar. That seems like a much more specific UI aesthetic. Google or Samsung needs to patent the facial recognition to unlock, and unlock pattern if possible and the fingerprint to unlock from the Atrix. This is getting beyond ridiculous. And someone please sue Apple for theft of the notification bar!

i believe RIM invented that

remember steve jobs did say this is the year of the copy cat except if anybody copies apple im gonna rip their face off