Apple virtual keyboard patent quite resembles a UMPC

After that "the display is the camera" stunt they pulled the other day, we really wouldn't put much past Apple's patent department, but this new new virtual keyboard patent of theirs does look vaguely familiar, wouldn't you say? It does seem that Apple didn't get that "two thumbs are better than one" memo, but they seem to have stuck with their usual conceptual artist for the mockup, and are bent on teasing us with touchscreen ideas. The patent also mentions some ideas for learned pressure sensitivity for the keyboard based on what you usually type, which sounds interesting, if a bit too smart for our tastes. Apple also has a recent patent for the iPod that have the device's screen mirrored onto a larger screen, and also allows for remote control and wireless file transfer between the devices. It's all well and good, but Apple has had a patent for wireless file transfer for a while now, so it's nothing to get too excited about.

[Via Mac Rumors]

[cam @ Apr 29th 2006 2:50PM]

could this mean the apple tablet or apple umpc

[RP @ Apr 29th 2006 2:52PM]

lol! I love the irony:

if a bit to smart for our tastes.

:D:D

[ron g @ Apr 29th 2006 2:56PM]

" ...this new new virtual keyboard patent of theirs does look vaguely familiar, wouldn't you say? It does seem that Apple didn't get that "two thumbs are better than one" memo... "

If you actually check the patent yourself, which I assume you had since you are reporting on it, you'll find that this was filed 8 months ago. That is before Microsoft and friends rushed their conception out before even really having a concept.

As unpolished and unfinished and... unfascinating as the Origami was, I have to believe that someone got wind of what Apple has been working on and quickly rushed something to market in order to capture the glory.

All of these tablet/handheld patents from Apple we have been seeing (and if you read Macsimum News (there has been upwards of 50 over the last half-year) were filed 6-12 months ago. Origami had 3 months - MAYBE 4 months of work at the MOST put into it when it was released.

I'd say it is Microsoft that is once again copying Appl... err... trying to copy Apple. I mean jeez, they heard about what they were doing and they still screwed it up. Have you tried typing with your thumb. Believe me, it actually works better with one thumb than two. I know it sounds crazy but you have to try. And so should Microsoft before they go around trying to copy patented ideas

[ron g @ Apr 29th 2006 3:02PM]

To supplement my previous post I want to add how difficult it would be to actually continuously move your eyes back and forth across the screen to oppisate corners to know where to have your thumb press. With Apple's solution you just keep your eyes fixed. Apple's solution really is better. Trust me.

[abs @ Apr 29th 2006 3:07PM]

Considering how Apple-fanboyish ron g sounds in the above two posts, I could not help but agree with him. Both in the thumb experience and copying Apple.

Apple legal on this?

[SLy @ Apr 29th 2006 3:17PM]

Hahahaha

Apple Fanboys - Defenders of the corporation.

[bob @ Apr 29th 2006 3:31PM]

hahahahaha

sly pc boy, defender of, well nothing cause thats what theyve got!

[ron g @ Apr 29th 2006 3:36PM]

Call me what you want, I still like Apple's implementation better - I still like Apple's solution better.

hmmm... would I be a Microsoft fanboy if I liked their solution better?

[Z @ Apr 29th 2006 3:37PM]

Sly, shut up
Apple had a patent filed before Microsoft, had started promoting their thumb based keyboard for the UMPC, Ron g and abs, are just merely stating a fact, that microsoft had copied something off of apple

[David T @ Apr 29th 2006 3:42PM]

sorry ron g, you obviously haven't seen the UMPC since the corners are NOT further than on a normal keyboard - unless you've to look at every character you type, your point is completely off.

and the Apple way of doing it, btw, means you can't see what you're typing since your hands are blocking the screen. you'll only realise a mistake when you've finished a sentence. nice try but no cigar.

as you'll well know if you're that well versed in patents, splitting up the keyboard into two is obviously a patentable innovation (not sure if they did, though) and for anyone who thinks that just because one device has an on-screen keyboard, it copied the other, perhaps i can point you to the virtual keyboard that has been on windows since windows 3.1.

[d chalmers @ Apr 29th 2006 3:44PM]

I think it's pretty obvious why this is optimized for "one-thumb" operation--cause it's for a future iPod, which are obviously made to work with one hand. It seems likely that the two-thumb MS implementation would be better/faster for computers that must be held with two hands, while this version would be perfect for keying in text to for example live-search your iPod ?a iTunes (oy, I'm getting a little giddy thinking of it).

If the "smartness" of it is good enough, with a little practice I wager you could run this without even looking at it (muscle memory is strong). And, finally, people could enter calendar/contact info right on their iPod, take notes, play hangman, send SMS messages (I maintain a vain hope that the touchscreen iPod will also be the iPod phone--oh please jesus, do it before the keys fall off my ancient Siemens...), blahdeblahdeblah.

Actually, thinking about it, this might actually end up being easier/more efficient to use than the UMPC-style two-thumb keyboards, even on larger tablet devices. Remember the notorious Raskin 1 sec. minimum context switch between keyboard and mouse input? If you had your right hand driving the keyboard, and your left orchaestrating non-KB input on the screen, that time would approach zero (while with the two-thumb UMPC keyboard, you would have to keep switching at least one of your hands back & forth between typing and pointing). Positioning the input carat in text documents, switching windows/input fields, changing IM tabs would all get much more efficient. WPM might be affected (downward) pretty greatly, however. I'd like to try out both implementations.

Also, fanboyism doesn't change the fact that this patent was filed at least six months before the UMPC keyboard was developed, and approx. a year before anyone had seen the thing. Comparisons to the UMPC are damning only to Microsoft.

[CajunLuke @ Apr 29th 2006 3:47PM]

ron g:

I type with both thumbs all the time on my calculator - it's way easier than with one. Once you get used to it two thumbs is probably significantly faster.

[d chalmers @ Apr 29th 2006 3:54PM]

David T - block the screen, what? If anything, the one-thumb keyboard blocks the screen approx. 50% as much as the two-thumb version. Please elaborate.

Re. the Windows 3.1 on-screen keyboard, try the Key Caps desk accessory developed in 1983 (http://folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Desk_Ornaments.txt). (Windows '92 = Macintosh '83? ;)

[ron g @ Apr 29th 2006 4:03PM]

David T.

>you obviously haven't seen the UMPC since the corners
> are NOT further than on a normal keyboard - unless
> you've to look at every character you type, your point
> is completely off.

I have seen one. But you are right in that it is not a normal keyboard, which is precisely why your eyes have to keep moving back and forth - it is a flat screen you are typing on with no sensation feedback.



> and the Apple way of doing it, btw, means you can't
> see what you're typing since your hands are blocking
> the screen. you'll only realise a mistake when you've
> finished a sentence. nice try but no cigar.

If you look at the picture up above you will notice that Microsoft's method wastes more realestate than Apple's, both with the UI AND the fingers (or thumbs).



> as you'll well know if you're that well versed in patents,
> splitting up the keyboard into two is obviously a patentable
> innovation (not sure if they did, though) and for anyone
> who thinks that just because one device has an on-screen
> keyboard, it copied the other, perhaps i can point you
> to the virtual keyboard that has been on windows since
> windows 3.1.

That is part of my point, there is no innovation here for Microsoft to patent.

As an aside, I don't claim to be well versed in patents.

[Abi @ Apr 29th 2006 4:10PM]

Fanboy Fight!
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

[Jacob @ Apr 29th 2006 4:31PM]

OMG are you guys saying Microsoft copied something from somebody else!!!!
/Sarcasm

[David T @ Apr 29th 2006 4:31PM]

"David T - block the screen, what? If anything, the one-thumb keyboard blocks the screen approx. 50% as much as the two-thumb version. Please elaborate" - chalmers: your HANDS block the screen, not the keyboard. i *assume* that to type fast you will be using both hands. trying to type QWERTY with one hand is a God-awful task. sorry if that wasn't clear enough from my post.

ron g: don't think you get my point at all. my first point was that the Touch Pack is NOT so different that you need to look at it to type.

my second point is that SPLITTING up the keyboard onscreen IS an innovation (just as much as having a curved keyboard can be called an innovation); HAVING a keyboard onscreen, though, is not - i hope this clears up chalmer's other point as well.

i'm just pointing out that the only thing in common with Apple and MS's approaches is that the keyboards are onscreen (and as an added point, somewhat curved) so assertions of copying are baseless.

[Chris Robinson @ Apr 29th 2006 4:39PM]

Another Patent for Apple Inc.

[silver @ Apr 29th 2006 4:45PM]

oy this is actually something i cant really imagine - a touch screen keyboard. I mean a keyboard has more buttons than 3 or 4.. sounds really frustrating if I couldnt feel the buttons under my fingers.

if i had to make a gadget, i'd put a normal keyboard on it with normal buttons. Or invent a shape shifting screen.

btw if i had to choose between apples and microsofts onscreen keyboards, i'd choose microsofts because i'm sure 2 fingers is faster than one and I know qwerty - I'd know where to search a char. Q is on the left and L is on the right, right?

[burgle @ Apr 29th 2006 5:36PM]

The area you can reach with your thumb is limited. When you place all the keys on one corner they will be too small to press with your thumb.

But if Apple users have longer thumbs than PC users this won't be a problem.

[sarah @ Apr 29th 2006 5:40PM]

ow? can you imagine turning your thumb at about 90 degrees to reach the farther letters? not comfortable. just imagining it gives me arthritis

[AutoDas @ Apr 29th 2006 6:37PM]

I think Microsoft's thumb keyboard design is far better than Apple's design.

[tommy @ Apr 29th 2006 6:46PM]

apple copying microsoft? what is this world coming to?

[Shaun @ Apr 29th 2006 7:25PM]

I think this is all absurd. For the last 3 years I've been using a Sony pda with an integrated thumb keyboard that in addition to all the pda and computing functions will also play mp3's and videos.
Why in the world would I want to spend $800+ for a UMPC or buy a video ipod for heaven knows how much that locks me into buying content from the iTunes store?
I'll never understand why Sony exited the pda market. But heck the Palm lifedrive and several MS based pda can play mp3's and videos.
Still these Apple/MS arguments are always lots of fun. Can someone tell me why Apple abandoned the pda market when their one true revolutionary product that they came up with - the Newton - didn't enjoy early success? Most of the other Apple stuff, the GUI, the ipod, etc was stuff that they didn't invent. They got the gui from Xerox/Parc and as for mp3 players, well they were far from first to market. They just followed the Tivo model and made the ipod/itunes so simple any moron could use it. Good for Stevie. He scooped up most of the market. My point is simply that while Apple is good at refining a product and they are masters at marketing, they certainly don't have the market cornered on innovations. After all, MS did beat Apple to the living room by 3+ years with the Media Center PC.

[Reese @ Apr 29th 2006 8:27PM]

#25... thats what I was going to post. I don't even think DialKeys is MS owned anyway. So it is possible the DialKeys patent was before Apple's. Im not too good with patent searches so I couldnt come accross anything.

[Snappy! @ Apr 29th 2006 8:46PM]

For goodness sake, the dialkeys were in use by Fujitsu in the P1510D before the Origami announcements http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2006/03/ontherun_with_t_3.html

MS saw a great product in the dialkeys, worked with the Dialkeys folks and brought it under the TabletPC arm.

As for Newton, Stevie was the one who axed it. Surprise surprise.

[Eli @ Apr 29th 2006 9:29PM]

You know what guys, I bet Microsoft saw this patent and was like "woah, we can't let that happen" so they came up with Origami JUST TO MESS WITH APPLE.

Uh-oh, they're pointing their mind beams at me, I'm going to go put my tinfoil hat back on!

[jonl @ Apr 29th 2006 10:01PM]

If this was filed 8-12 months ago, do you really think that microsoft and its partners saw this and in response were able to go from idea to concept to finished retailable product in that space of time? Just to beat apple who have yet to have come up with even a concept of a device where this (and their other 1000 patents would be useful)?

You sort of people are either ridiculously paranoid or for some reason have a blind belief that only Apple are capable of innovating a good product.

There are only so many ways of implementing an on-screen keyboard. Microsoft have theirs, and then Apple patented the other logical way of implementing it.

[ball&arch @ Apr 29th 2006 10:36PM]

Yes. I really think that Microsoft saw this and in response were able to get some partners to go from the idea to a product in that space of time. Actually, based on what Origami turned out to be, I think they could have done it in 6 weeks.

[Kinto @ Apr 29th 2006 11:54PM]

Gah, do some research before throwing out wild accusations guys. The Dialkeys program (developed by Fortune Fountain Ltd.) has been around for quite a while. See for yourself here:

http://www.mobilewhack.com/reviews/fujitsu_lifebook_p1500d_notebook.html

It's not great, but it's the best I could find in 2 minutes. It's a review of a fujitsu notebook which ships with dialkeys dated 8 months ago. Dialkeys isn't anything really new, so the idea that Microsoft copied apples 8 month old patent when "creating" Dialkeys sounds a little silly, no? Don't be misleading.

[ron g @ Apr 30th 2006 1:37AM]

"Actually you can go to http://www.dialkeys.com/ to read about the MS version."

Thank you for proving my point www.umpcExpo.com. Like I said, Microsoft can't even copy Apple correctly because the don't understand the concept. It seems as if they had to turn to Dialkeys to give them an approximation of what they wanted.

Kinto, I truly don't expect you to heed your own advice (though it would seem fitting, no?) because in this situation it is quite a daunting task to understand the culmination and the obvious relationship of Apple's patents over the last year.

HSThat, I suggest you go back and reread my comments. You can disregard the part about me not being well versed on patents though. My feelings have changed in relative comparison to the posts I have read here so far. I am starting to feel like I know a lot more than most.

[Mike @ Apr 30th 2006 1:52AM]

1. This is a continuation in part of another patent application and they are claiming priority back to July 30, 2004.

2. This is an APPLICATION- ie not an actual patent. It's likely the examiner will make them claim narrower subject matter- it's part of the game.

[thequinox @ Apr 30th 2006 1:54AM]

Pardon me, but in response to this: "Apple also has a recent patent for the pod that have the device's screen mirrored onto a larger screen, and also allows for remote control and wireless file transfer between the devices." That is the stupidest patent ever. That's like patenting TV out. My Archos Gemini 402 can output it's entire display to the TV, but it cannot run both at once. It would be ridiculously unfair for iPods to be the only ones capable of mirroring. As far as remotes and wireless transferring, many players can ALREADY do that!

Get with the program Apple, and stop trying to tighten your DAP reign with stupid restrictive patents.

[Andreas @ Apr 30th 2006 6:02AM]

The thumb thing is ok, but if you prefer pen writing...
http://static.flickr.com/47/137369105_69dcefa836_o.jpg

[Intrepid @ Apr 30th 2006 6:09AM]

ron g and Apple loving retards. Mirosoft conceptualised the UMPC over a year ago and even if you are stupid enough to believe that Apple invents everything, you can't deny that the MS implementation is much more clever (because not everyone is right handed and most of us have two thumbs...)

[Razib Ahmed @ Apr 30th 2006 10:26AM]

Instead of discussing about the main topic (virtual keyboard) this post has become a virtual battle field between the fans of Microsoft and Apple.
I just want to see a great virtual keyboard. I type daily minimum 3000 words and a virtual keyboard will save me much trouble.

[reyesmac @ Apr 30th 2006 11:12AM]

This keyboard is too big for an oragami type device. It needs to have a 15 inch screen at least. There was a patent once by Apple that talked about a device that was like a remote computer. It was a portable screen for a computer. This may be used in a future mac media center add on device. Like, it would be the Mac you take with you when you want to sit in front of the TV. You would be able to control your music and videos with it and play them on the tv. Why have an interface that takes over your screen when you can control it all from a handheld device and just let the TV play your content.

[Jones @ Apr 30th 2006 2:45PM]

You Apple fanboys are crazy if you think Microsoft and it's partners could've come up with the Origami in a couple of months. Get a hold of yourself. If Apple did the split keyboard you would be loving it and trying to come up with every excuse to why it would be more effective, productive, etc. than a keyboard on one side.

[ron g @ Apr 30th 2006 2:59PM]

> ron g and Apple loving retards. Mirosoft conceptualised
> the UMPC over a year ago and even if you are stupid
> enough to believe that Apple invents everything, you
> can't deny that the MS implementation is much more
> clever (because not everyone is right handed and most
> of us have two thumbs...)

If you were to actually read the patents before improperly condemning them, you would know that you can bring the keyboard up where you want it based on a sweeping type of gesture. It can be reversed by reversing the sweeping arch gesture on the other side of the screen.

As far as Microsoft conceptualizing this UMPC over a year ago, I am quite certain that nothing I say will convince you, and other fanboy types, otherwise. So I will be stopping here.

[Richard John @ Apr 30th 2006 4:46PM]

You know, I really don't think MS created the UMPC on the bus on the way to the conference center, there's a large possibility that they had it first.

Get over it, Apple weren't first.

Just a reminder as well that Apple are a business, the same as Microsoft (only somewhat less successful). They are not your friend, and they do not give a shit about you.

[Intrepid @ Apr 30th 2006 8:26PM]

ron g. Thanks for that, but I simply stated a fact. UMPC is an older concept than this patent. I admit that I didn't read that the Apple keyboard could be flipped left-to-right... but that doesn't change the fact that it is a keyboard controlled by one thumb.
By the way, if Microsoft stole this idea recently, what did they originall plan for the UMPC input??? See the original movies and you'll understand that they have always planned for something like this.

[Dave @ Apr 30th 2006 10:46PM]

Did it occur to anyone that with Apple's one-sided-qwerty-curve, you can hold the device with your left hand and type with the fingers (rather than thumb) of your right?

I think that would probably be easier than trying to type with your thumbs.

[Intrepid @ May 1st 2006 8:21AM]

Uhhh? so you would hold a device of this size with one hand and use the other for typing???

[James @ May 1st 2006 5:18PM]

butthurt apple defenders assemble!!
LOL, stfu ron g and all your apple sackriding buddies. who gives a shit who patented what first. do they have anything out on the market that uses their stupid patents? nope. get over your apple worshipping selves and stop defending them.

richard it's no hope arguing with these idiots. don't you know apple invented everything? apple doesn't have a umpc like device even close to production but they patented the thumb keyboard! that is fact that they were going to make something like a umpc!

jones, good reply. apple fanboys are RIDICULOUS. they will make up any excuse to put a spin on anything apple does as being better than everyone else.

you idiots really thinking ms only came up with the origami in 3-4 months are fooling yourselves. more apple fanboy nonsense. just stfu already and keep to yourselves. just keep on thinking that apple invented everything.

[James @ May 1st 2006 5:26PM]

"Just a reminder as well that Apple are a business, the same as Microsoft (only somewhat less successful). They are not your friend, and they do not give a shit about you."

but richard apple loves everyone! they are a friendly company and are absolutely not in business to make money! they show us they care by packaging their ipods with nothing but a data cable and headphones. all of their accessories cost 29.99 or more. what a steal! they're practically giving them away!

microsoft is the devil! they are an evil evil company. who do they think they are creating this UMPC thing. they OBVIOUSLY stole it from apple since they steal everything. it's nothing new for them. i mean come on, first it was the mouse, the keyboard, the gui! apple didn't steal anything man, they "got the idea" of the gui from xerox, but ms stole it. they are freaking thieves. they are so evil, i hate them so much.

LOL