Patent Approved: Apple Now Owns "Slide to Unlock"

[Au_equus]

What apple is doing is still legal, but the way apple is going about their business will start to affect commerce as we know it. In civics class, recall the "commerce clause" that Congress has the constitutional right to regulate commerce. Its not at that point yet, but by the time apple's actions get to that point, Congress may be too late.

 

[cyberkuberiah]

what the f*** ees dees

 

[rantoc]

I have use the sweep manouver on my gf to get her going is that now a patent violation! What a joke!

 

[rohitbaran]

So, this is what Steve Jobs planned for the iPhone over the next 4-5 years (as some analyst said) before departing?

 

[toorudez]

I'm pretty sure my old school Samsung Omnia used the touchscreen to unlock the phone, and it was released a couple years before the iPhone.

 

[vaughn2k]

Apple Now Owns "Slide to Unlock" - @$$hole....

 

[squidz66]

There should be an 'Occupy the patent office' movement going on!
Big company, (Apple, Microsoft) big dollar executives are loosing brand credibility by the day, by actively trying to stifle peoples choices.

No-one wants a visit from the fireman!
Soon we'll all have seashells in our ears, and books in our ducts.

 

[growup]

Guys, I'm going to patent the letter "a" and if anyone uses it, you're all getting sued! YOU HEAR MEEE!

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]virtualban[/nom]I wish the whole Apple to die, not just the Jobs. And to be bought on the brick of bankruptcy by some of the companies that innovate but don't sue.Seriously, wall street occupation can be extended to any user of any apple device for supporting the halt of the technology this way, even if all they seek is to get the best device for their needs and money, (arguable as it might be which device is the best for the money, apple is holding back the rest of the world)May all lawyers of apple, and all people thinking such patent is a good idea, including the people from the patent office and the people from apple, get a pancreatic cancer. At least, after that, they maaaaayyy devote the energies towards fighting cancer instead.[/citation]


Wahhhh....stop crying and stop being a bitch. Why don't you invent stuff and let other people use it for free instead of complaining about Apple.

 

[STravis]

I don't really think Apple can sue Android handset manufacturers over this as most Android phones don't react to the first (or second swipe).

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]reynod[/nom]This is just stupid.My Galaxy II has slide to unlock etc ... you can't seriously patent that!!Next it will be "twist" to unlock, "lick" to unlock ... "retinal scan" to unlock ... wonder if those grredy apple tossers want to try them as well?You shouldn't be able to patent hand movements.If that were the case the Queen clearly has patented the wave ...[/citation]

I don't think you understand how patents work. Apple may have put forth this patent even before the first iPhone was released - it takes a seriously long time for some of the patents to go through.

 

[TeraMedia]

So...

If Apple is "influencing" someone in the patent office (look for the guy driving the Ferrari), and it's proven in court, do their patents still count? WikiLeaks and Anonymous should check whether this Apple has a worm at its core. And if not, put one there?

I think this should fall under the category of "cannot be patentable; must be freely open". The patent office employee who issued this is either on drugs, paid off, or unfit for the job. Unbelievable.

 

[thrasher32]

I can't wait for Apple to crash & burn.

 

[gus1991]

[citation][nom]STravis[/nom]I don't really think Apple can sue Android handset manufacturers over this as most Android phones don't react to the first (or second swipe).[/citation]


lol ^ fan boy homo

 

[TeraMedia]

Next: Apple patents putting LCD screens on the outside of devices. This way, the screens are visible to users of those devices!

And they patent putting letters and symbols on buttons, to indicate the purpose / function of each button!

And they patent turning on the display backlight when the user is interacting with the device, so that the user can see what is going on!

 

[Yoder54]

The US patent office and the federal courts need to readdress the entire patent procedure. I have a problem with putting patents on ideas, and most of these cases brought not only by Apple, but against Apple and others are nothing more than an infringement on ideas. It is one thing to backwards engineer something, or to copy it outright...but an idea? You can't blame the manufacturers, blame the courts and the patent office. Thankfully, when the personal computer was being invented in the 60's/70's the culture was all about sharing ideas and creating synergy. Now it is about ownership and profit at the expense of lower consumer prices.

 

[billybobser]

they filed a patent ONE YEAR AFTER android phones had already had it in place?

and yet they still granted it.

and the terms seems loose enough to sue anyone who touches their screen at all to unlock it.

What

the

Fuck

 

[damian86]

[citation][nom]stereopsis[/nom]AND how the hell do you patent a GESTURE???[/citation]
Exactely I think this is the most stupid and selfish thing ever, they need a facepalm

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]Yoder54[/nom]The US patent office and the federal courts need to readdress the entire patent procedure. I have a problem with putting patents on ideas, and most of these cases brought not only by Apple, but against Apple and others are nothing more than an infringement on ideas. It is one thing to backwards engineer something, or to copy it outright...but an idea? You can't blame the manufacturers, blame the courts and the patent office. Thankfully, when the personal computer was being invented in the 60's/70's the culture was all about sharing ideas and creating synergy. Now it is about ownership and profit at the expense of lower consumer prices.[/citation]

I think either you have having revisionist history or aren't old enough to remember the IBM PS/2. IBM at the time came up with a new competing bus (to the ISA standard) known as the Micro Channel Architecture (http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_System/2#Micro_Channel_Architecture). It was superior to ISA but of course IBM patented/trademarked every little detail about it, meaning that add-on cards cost a small fortune.

All this to say, it wasn't all sunshine and lollipops then either.

 

[STravis]

[citation][nom]thrasher32[/nom]I can't wait for Apple to crash & burn.[/citation]

You should probably hold your breath - I hear it helps.