The
US Patents and Trademark Office has today made public a Microsoft patent application (serial no. 240,729) related to the graphical user interface found on the hotly anticipated
Windows Phone 7 Series mobile OS. Filed in September 2008, this application describes a "contiguous background" that extends beyond the dimensions of the screen (either vertically or horizontally, but not both) with anchored "mixed-media" elements being littered atop it -- all of which is to be served on a "media-playing device." That should sound pretty familiar, given that it's the central navigational concept of both Windows Phone 7 and the
Zune HD, and as such it makes a lot of sense for Microsoft to seek to legally protect its uniqueness. Before you start wondering about potential conflicts with
other UIs, take note that this requires a
continuous graphical background rather than a tiled or repeating image, plus space-orientating graphical elements, which should make it sufficiently nuanced to avoid any more patently unnecessary squabbles should Microsoft's claims be validated by the USPTO.
posted April 1st 2010 9:02PM
I think its a pretty clever UI, a hell of a lot different than anything else going on.
@werty1432k
It's a little clumsy, I think they may have went to far and tried to re-image their mobile device software a little too fast and a little too aggressive, and forgot what they were good at.
@werty1432k
looks like it would work in a zune (music, video, podcast, games, internet), but maybe not a phone since there are so many more options and thus more scrolling.
Who knows time will tell since im sure microsoft is gonna rely heavily with it in Win7 series.
im not tryin to hate
@werty1432k
Hope Apple doesnt try calling their lawyers for this one. They'd have no chance in hell.
@uck Yeah, it seems like that patent focuses on the Zune (just from the picture)
On another note, its really sad that someone has to say "im not trying to hate" when voicing their opinion so that they don't get ranked into oblivion. Stupid trolls, you've ruined the internet.
@werty1432k
they just really didn't want to be called out for copying Apple, hell in 6.5 they even went with a useless honeycomb setup instead, gridstyle has existed since forever, but it still doesn't stop engadget commenters from making the iphone connection.
@werty1432k
I am glad Microsoft come along. After 2007, there has been almost no innovation in the smartphone market. Android is more or less an iPhone clone. Windows Phone 7 is an entirely new concept.
@werty1432k
I think it's a side-scrolling fest. Looks good, but I prefer Android (desktops, with shortcuts and widgets.... omnipresent notification bar)
@TareG The android notification bar is AWESOME!
@7egend I agree, there's a fine line between "innovative" and "we ran out of good ideas but feel like we just have to improve it somehow so our OS is annoyingly embellished and aggravating to use."
@werty1432k I agree. I think this UI idea is very unique, and other people should license it because it's a cool concept. Apple's slide-to-unlock patent doesn't even compare to this one in terms of innovativeness.
Also (unrelated), I am kinda disappointed by Engadget that they turned off comments on the JooJoo post. Commenting is a big part of Engadget for us, even if it seems like turning them off doesn't affect your page views. Just delete the offensive ones or ban people who are being idiots. I know where you're coming from, but I also think that you guys take these comments way too seriously.
@werty1432k
It takes getting used to, I like how the zune HD does it, I don't like how WM7S does it. I can't stand the non-centered boxes I've seen so far. I need more symmetry in my life!
@ai4281 agreed, I wanted to comment more when to video went up, I REALLY want someone to tell me why they would buy a JooJoo over an iPad when they are both priced the same. Not even trolling or fanboying, I just want someone to straight up tell me.
@abedinthehouse Apple would never want to lay claim to a UI that hideous. It looks like someone gave the UI designers the wrong aspect ratio like you stuffed a 16:9 UI into a 4:3 screen.
@damian75 you are entitled to your opinion but I disagree.
@damian75
Have you even tried a Zune HD? The UI is virtually the same and it works VERY well. Everybody keeps complaining about the cut off letters and the scrolling but its really not that big a deal and it flows very well. Honestly, I'd rather scroll left and right than have to delve into endless menus and try to find my way back to the top.
@werty1432k
It's different
The one thing I hate is the waste of space along the top and right side. Whos bright idea was that? Sorry but its freaking stupid. And the tiles/hub idea is nice but the tiles themselves seem to take up a lot of space on the home screen.
Other than though it's a nice effort from Redmond....
@abedinthehouse
I don't see how Apple would have "no chance in hell" of disputing this. Don't they already use an anchored panoramic UI on their homescreen?
@ai4281
LOL! Do you know who actually owns the "slide to lock/unlock" patent?
...
...
...
yup, Nokia.
@abedinthehouse Actually, I do hope Apple gets their lawyers on this one for that exact reason. It would be funny to see them fail.
Additionally, "continuous" image would fit Android's homescreen, would it not?
@geoken Who could tell? It's just one huge black thing. How could you prove it's continuous?
@naashak
The inside of my front door is slide to unlock. On a chain.
@werty1432k Yes, as long as they keep on updating us about the xna game syncing capability, I'm all for this device. http://bit.ly/xna-games-windows-phone
@werty1432k
I'm pretty sure Sun's Project Looking Glass had a panoramic desktop back in 2003, also pseudo 3D effects.
@werty1432k
That's true, but don't live wallpapers on Android 2.1 have something similar where the background image moves in the background in accordance to which screen you're on, and therefore almost makes it continuous?
I suspect lawyers will spend a long time debating how similar the 7 Series is to live wallpapers (or the other way around).
@Invader Par
Was thinking the same thing.
I have written an application that works the same way...except it doesn't have a "background", it's just white so does that count? :P
@weedalin
Because of it's contents.
@geoken What? How does that make sense?
Cooliris anyone?
@New Reformation
This is a totally different concept than cooliris...
@commenter7
The "gimmick" of the graphical user interface is exactly the same.
@New Reformation You hit the nail right of the head. The Win Phone 7 series UI is a desperate attempt by Microsoft to be unique which turned out being a complete gimmick that is not useful or efficient in any way.
@Xega you haven't even used it yet! how can you judge a UI without using it? wait until the software is publicly available, actually see how it functions when you use it the way you use your phone, and THEN tell us what you think.
@New Reformation
How is MetroUI anything like Cooliris?
@kojo87
Better idea: how about he waits until WinPho 7 launches, pretends he bought one, and THEN flames it, despite never having held one in his hands.
@New Reformation Tell me how this is any different from Android's original vanilla mountain view background? You swipe the screen and the background moves a bit with each UI panel.
I know when I saw the iPad I instantly noticed the Android style background shift. So what makes WP7S any different?
I would like to patent the method of users feedback to an electronic publication - commonly referred to as comments.
@ROFL
not if i beat you to it :P
@ROFL
I just put a patent down on all colors, letters, shapes, smells, tastes, sounds and most touchable things.
is that.. a squircle!??!
@glenskey lol Must be an old patent? Old Zune..
@werty1432k or they are bringing the new UI to the old Zunes. i can dream can't i?
Patents sometimes takes a LONG time to clear with patent lawyers before being granted.
We joke about how the US Patent Office hands out patents like Halloween candy, but it's actually a long, expensive, strenuous process.
I wasn't aware that scrolling horizontally or vertically could be patented. iPhone has been doing this since 2007.
@justinpe Software patents are dumb. You're (if possible) even more!
@justinpe
its not the idea of scrolling horizontally and vertically, and if you want to go that way. many products have been doing it for years BEFORE Apple.
They are trying to patient the concept of have a continous background with media and overlaying text that extend the window of the screen, thus bleeding out of the screen, which is something no other company has done to the extent MSFT has. Stop trying to post bullshit arguments when you know perfectly well what the patient is for by reading the article.
@justinpe wow! vertical scroll and horizontal scroll since 2007? MINDBLOWING!
@abedinthehouse
But that implies that he read the article.
@HaZaRd
But that implies he 'can' read.
@abedinthehouse
OK then, they are basically patenting a simple design element in their UI. Text that flows off the screen. Genius! Almost as original as having a non-replaceable battery or no multi-tasking, or copy/paste... Give me a break.