Creative patent filing reveals drag and drop interface with "action tabs"
By Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 10th 2009 12:51PM
posted Aug 10th 2009 12:51PM
Creative's made itself pretty well acquainted with the FCC as of late, and it looks like it's also been doing its part to keep the old Patent and Trademark Office busy as well, with a recently revealed application showing off some plans for a drag and drop touchscreen interface. That's obviously somewhat of a tricky area to patent, but it seems that Creative's big new idea is something called "action tabs" that could be used for something as simple as tabbed web browsing, but would apparently also be applied to other OS elements as well -- letting you drag something to the clipboard, for instance, or drag a photo to an action item of some sort. Just as interesting as the patent itself, however, is the fact that it's assigned to Creative subsidiary 3DLABS, now known as ZiiLABS, makers of the touchscreen-based Zii EGG. Like we said, interesting.
[Via Tech in Hiding]
[Via Tech in Hiding]
How is that new? I can already do that in Safari (drag a link to a tab).
I agree. how can somebody patent something thats been around for a while.
I think their intention is far more then just links, like pictures, music, videos ect. This is Creative so i would imagine they have a more multimedia use for it in mind.
it's patenting action tabs.
sort of like a draggable context menu.
so instead of right-clicking or hold-and-wait to pull up a context menu, you just drag the item into the contextual action tabs instead.
this does away with convoluted multi-touch or gestures ideas we have now.
single-thumb operation! :D
Safari? What about every other browser on the market?
This is for touchscreen devices using the drag and drop interfaces, meaning mobile devices with a touchscreen. Only a few mobile browsers can support tabs, and most of them not very well.
Ummm.... Newton OS 2.0 did that 11 years ago (dragging stuff off to a clipboard on the edges of the screen).
I have a message for the "Action Tabs":
I'm happy...hope you're happy too.
Boooo! I wish I couldn't hear you Major Tom.
+1 for using the patent office web site on a patent filing. Somebody is sucking up to the boss.
software patents make no sense
I bet this was on that 4G iPhone prototype and Steve is getting ready to rip these guys balls off.
Just another reason why the Bilsky decision needs to be upheld, so these ridiculous software, idea, and process patents can finally go away.
So they're patenting a feature found in the Newton 2001? Prior art people.
I was thinking the same thing. My (various) Newtons used the same method for copy-and-paste. Hightlight an item, drag it to the edge of the screen, go to where you want to paste it, drag it from edge of screen into place. Definitely not anything new.
Based on recent rulings, this patent is invalid. We'll see if the patent office follows the rules and rejects it.