Intresting iPod patents.

Dman001

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/next-gen-ipod-patent-has-touch-surface-on-back-259271.php

art

Very interesting idea and a good way to have large screen space in a small form factor. Hard to imagine it actually working though.

ambro25

Oh, I can picture it in action very clearly and it is indeed a good concept. But the patent application is sh*t.

Apple patent, claim 1 wrote:

"A hand-held electronic device, comprising:
i.e. a laptop comprising:
a first surface having a display element coupled thereto;
i.e. a screen back and a screen;
a second surface having a touch-surface coupled thereto,
i.e. a palmrest or the like with a touchpad section;
the second surface not coplanar with the first surface,
i.e. screen back and palmrest are not part of the same surface;
the touch-surface adapted to detect a location on the touch-surface contacted by an object and an activation force applied to the touch-surface by the object;
i.e. the touchpad can detect your finger location and a finger tap;

So, a laptop with a screen and a touchpad so far. Great.

Apple patent, claim 1, cont'd wrote:

and control means for
i.e. an OS
displaying on the display element first information, control elements, and mark representing the contact's location on the touch-surface,
i.e. an OS with a GUI showing an arrow pointer;
determining when the mark is spatially coincident with one of the control elements,
i.e. determining when the arrow pointer is overlapping an icon;
determining the activation force is greater than a specified threshold, and
i.e. determining between a touchpad slide and a touchpad tap;
activating a function associated with the one control element."
i.e. if touchpad tap, process icon shortcut.

So, still a laptop with a touchpad so far, but now with an OS and GUI. Great.

Hey, Mr Jobs, how 'bout trying some European patent attorneys who know their ass from their elbow for a change? :rolleyes:

art

What!?

ambro25

ambro 25 wrote in not-so-plain-English: wrote:

They have developed an ingenious touch-operated and menu-driven iPod variant.

But the current wording of their patent application results in them trying to obtain a patent for anything with a screen and a tactile user interface, wherein screen interaction (menu selection) is piloted by the tactile user interface, e.g. a laptop with a touchpad running an OS with a Graphical User Interface (e.g. Windows) displaying a mouse pointer.

So the patent professionals employed by Apple to prepare and file their patent application are a bit crap, because there is no chance that this patent, in its current state, will be granted and enforceable.

Capisce?

art

Ah, fair enough - now I understand

su_dios

ambro25 wrote:

Oh, I can picture it in action very clearly and it is indeed a good concept. But the patent application is sh*t.



So, a laptop with a screen and a touchpad so far. Great.



So, still a laptop with a touchpad so far, but now with an OS and GUI. Great.

Hey, Mr Jobs, how 'bout trying some European patent attorneys who know their ass from their elbow for a change? :rolleyes:

All those patents seem to describe the iphone

aidan_walsh

su_dios wrote:

All those patents seem to describe the iphone

There are rumours that the iPhone touchscreen technology will make it into a future version of the iPod. Which would just be this massive surprise if it did, wouldn't it?

ambro25

su_dios wrote:

All those patents seem to describe the iphone

You missed the point...

LOL @ aidan_walsh

ambro25

su_dios wrote:

All those patents seem to describe the iphone

You missed the point...

LOL @ aidan_walsh

ambro25

su_dios wrote:

All those patents seem to describe the iphone

You missed the point...

LOL @ aidan_walsh