USPTO
Latest
BlackBerry tries for patents on concertina-like keyboards in smartphones
When we think of hidden keyboards on our phones, our thoughts usually turn to thick sliders -- notwithstanding the occasional wacky twister. BlackBerry has filed for a pair of patents that would be even subtler by hiding the keys inside of a phone's main body. Looking somewhat like concertinas in practice, the concepts would pivot keys into place as the phone owner pulls out a retractable section to start typing. BlackBerry suggests it could work for both conventional smartphones (what you see above) as well as a not-entirely-practical design with keys on opposite sides of a display, much like a single-screen LG Doubleplay. We're not expecting BlackBerry to ship related products anytime soon when the Q10 represents its immediate future in hardware keyboards, but it's tough to rule out the ideas altogether when they could slim keyboarded phones without losing that coveted stealthiness. They might stand a better chance of reaching the market than some of BlackBerry's more outlandish experiments.
Google files patent application for touch-based, full-finger keyboard layout
Tapping on glass... it's not the future -- it's the present. Except software-based touch typing solutions haven't really extended beyond the cramped confines of mobile phones and tablets. But what if there were a touch type experience that mapped to the full extent of your digital reach? Something more akin to a typical two-handed physical keyboard? Well, that's just what Google's proposing in a patent application that's surfaced today. Filed back in September of 2011, the USPTO doc outlines a method for displaying "geometric shapes on a touch-screen display... [that correspond] to a respective finger of a user" and allow for text entry via a "sliding movement." So in layman's terms, if this ever comes to pass, you'd be able to type on glass with all ten fingers by, presumably, flicking upwards. Not sure how we feel about that just yet -- it certainly would require some extra screen real estate. Maybe even something as accommodating as this, but Nexus-flavored.
Apple applies for shoe-life sensor patent, puts it in hypothetical brogues
Nike's running sensor, a detachable piece of tech that connected to a companion iOS app, is the closest that Apple's associated itself to foot metrics so far, but folded inside the company's patent applications for today is this left-field addition, a shoe wear-out sensor. We assume the idea is geared towards runners -- presumably these brogue outlines we're looking at above are just red herrings. The application draws together two possible outcomes: one with an thin sensor layer built your footwear of choice and another which keeps the sensor in the heel. A "unitless activity number" is also mentioned, where the device (which could include accelerometers, flexibility sensors and more) could craft an "activity value" based on your movement -- this would then also be used to gauge the shelf-life of your current footwear. When this pre-specified threshold is exceeded, it would then sound the alarm. According to one diagram, the process could connect with an external display, likely broadcasting its concern to your nearby iOS device. But if your running needs demand a sensor to tell you when your sneakers are cooked, there might be other things worth tracking.
iRobot applies for 'all-in-one' 3D printer patent: aims to reduce need for post-processing
It's no floor cleaner, so it looks like iRobot's looking to expand its horizons, filing a patent application for a "robotic fabricator". While not granted (yet), the USPTO filing outlines an all-in-one 3D printer that is capable of post-print milling and processing. Typical 3D printing results in an 'overhang' excess that needs to be clipped from the finished article, but iRobot's loosely worded notion would process these automatically, as well as seams formed where parts are fused together. Multiple manipulators mean that the object can be contorted over "at least six axes", while the toolhead would combine together a print and milling head, alongside an exotically-named robocasting extruder, which is used in building up the layers of material. The design aims to reduce the need for any non-automated manufacturing processes, hopefully meaning effortless turtleshell kart production and reduced printing blemishes -- that is, if it makes it to reality.
Fallout trademark covers a TV show in an apocalyptic paradise
Bethesda may be looking toward the future of its franchises, trademarking the Fallout brand for the purposes of using it in "entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world," according to a USPTO listing. We thought Desperate Housewives had the "reality we would never want to live in" genre covered, but the more, the merrier.Fallout forum member Conor Murton posted about the trademark today and Bethesda has yet to comment on the listing. Bethesda could simply be protecting its franchise, or it could have more active plans.
Apple awarded glass-on-metal trackpad design patent
The next time you sit down at an aluminum unibody MacBook and glide your finger atop the trackpad, you can take pride in knowing that the design of that trackpad has been issued a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Design patent D674382 was published today under the rather mundane title "Portable computer" and is for the "ornamental design for a portable computer." Other than a group of drawings showing that the patent is for the trackpad and no other element of the MacBook design, there's not a lot of detail. Probably the most notable feature of the design patent document is that it includes two very familiar names in the list of inventors: Jonathan P. Ive and Steve Jobs. The design patent has a life of 14 years, and is associated with a string of application continuations starting in 2008.
'Chubby Kings' trademark filed by Ubisoft
Ubisoft has filed trademarks in both Europe and the U.S. for something called Chubby Kings, which we can safely infer from both filings' category designations is definitely a video game of some kind, though whether it's planned for console, mobile and/or handheld is indeterminate as this juncture.The Chubby Kings trademark registers the game as potential media for everything from CD-ROMs and PDAs through technologies that aren't completely obsolete, so who knows. What we're most interested in, however, is exactly what purpose the adjective "chubby" serves in this sense. Are these regular kings that are also chubby? Perhaps the kings themselves are of average build, but rule over a kingdom of chubby denizens? These are important distinctions.
Microsoft hopes to patent an 'inconspicuous mode' for phones (updated)
We've all seen That Person in the movie theater: the one whose compulsive texting guarantees a distraction for everyone through the bright screen. Microsoft might not change that disruptive behavior, but it could save us from noticing through a new patent application. The team in Redmond is exploring an "inconspicuous mode" that would dial down not just the screen brightness and sound, but also the information on the display -- it could remove a bright background and limit the number of attention-grabbing notifications. The technique could even detect certain conditions, such a very dark bedroom, and invoke the mode without having to ask. Like with most patents, we don't know if Microsoft plans to use the technology in earnest; we've reached out, just in case a similar mode has previously lurked in the background. When the patent filling is crafted with Windows Phone in mind, however, we wouldn't be surprised if some future version of the mobile OS learns to mind its manners. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson did get in touch after our inquiry and confirmed that there hasn't been such a mode so far. We've also been reminded, as we mentioned, that Microsoft "regularly applies for and receives patents" and that "not all" of them will ultimately reach shipping products.
USPTO planning two roundtable discussions with developers about software patents
We know, we know: the patent system is broken. But what exactly should the US Patent and Trademark Office do to reform itself, particularly where nebulous software claims are concerned? If you ask the developers themselves, they might tell you code was never meant to be patented. Obviously, an outright ban might not sit well with USPTO officials, so the agency is instead taking a different tack: it's hosting two roundtable events with the developer community to discuss the future of software patents. These discussions, which will take place in February in New York and in the Silicon Valley, will focus on the the terms used to define a patent's scope, among other topics. For those of you interested in attending, you'll need to register by February 4th by sending an email to SoftwareRoundtable2013@uspto.gov (you'll also need to list various credentials, which are outlined in the Groklaw post linked at the bottom of this post). Even then, seating is limited and entry is first-come, first-serve. If you can't attend, the events will both be webcast, and the USPTO is inviting developers to send in written comments (the deadline for that is March 15th). Consider this your FYI and if you really do intend to go, comment or even host a presentation at one of the events, you'll want to hit up the links below for more details.
RIM busts Mr. Blurrycam, patents tech to 'prevent inconspicuous use of cameras'
RIM's own smartphones have been the target of many a "Mr. Blurrycam" snap, but a new feature could put an end to "inconspicuous" shooting, according to a patent issued today. The tool would be in line with the company's mission to protect corporations from security vulnerabilities, which include not only unauthorized access to data, but also leaks from employees. According to the patent, "the camera restriction prevents a user from taking a picture of a subject if the device has not been steadily focused on the subject in question for a predetermined period of time." Just how long you need to keep your BlackBerry still could be dictated by individual IT departments, which would also have the power to flip the switch and push restrictions to an employee's device. While such a delay would certainly be an inconvenience for frequent shooters, it is a step forward from RIM's traditional strategy of shipping models without cameras altogether. We haven't seen any indication that such a technology will be implemented with future models, but thanks to the minds at RIM, patent junkies can get their fix now at the source link below.
ITC Judge recommends Samsung post 88 percent value bond, import bans in Apple patent case
If you're keeping track of the multiple, and let's face it, tiresome Samsung / Apple patent debacle, a document that just turned up at the ITC might spell more trouble for the Korean manufacturer. It's a publicly redacted version of Judge Pender's recommendations, and pertains to the October ruling that deemed Samsung borrowed four of Cupertino's designs. The most iconic being design patent D618,678 (that which you see above). The others include multi-touch patent 7,479,949 (which was tentatively invalidated) along with two other patents (RE41,922 and 7,912,501) relating to graphic display elements and audio hardware detection. If the recommendations are adopted -- and FOSS Patents suggests this is entirely possible -- Samsung could face a US import ban after a 60 day presidential review, an order prohibiting "significant" sales of infringing products in America along with a posting a bond for 88 percent of the entered value of mobile phones (plus 32.5 percent for media players and 37.6 percent for tablets) that include the breaching design features. Pender has, however, reportedly cleared several Samsung "designarounds" which, if implemented to satisfaction, would mean the tech giant could continue trading. For now though, the recommendations are awaiting the Commission's review.
Apple wins patent rights to new curved glass process
Apple has been granted patent rights for a new process using high temperatures to shape and mold a curved glass casing, similar to the one currently on newer Samsung devcies, as opposed to the very flat screen found on the iPhone 5. This exact patent doesn't have a huge influence on Apple's actual production line, and definitely doesn't portend anything as interesting as a new iPhone design. But it does show that Apple has been researching how to make this kind of curved glass for a long time, and that the company's very interested in finding more and easier ways to make its world-famous device components. The process also covers glass of all shapes and sizes, so while the images included with the patent (as seen above) hint that it would be used to make new iPhones and other portable devices, the documents also say that the glass could be shaped for larger devices, including "displays, monitors and televisions." Apple's work on processes like this is an investment not just in determining how to create today's devices, but a look ahead to what it might create in the future as well.
Apple patents a method to refine curved glass for displays and beyond
The curved screens of Samsung's Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus helped them stand out in the smartphone crowd, but it's clearer than ever that the company doesn't have a lock on the idea. Apple is exploring the concept as well: it just received a patent for a technique that molds thin glass into bent or curved shapes without a drawn-out process or using risky chemicals. By having alignment tools shift along with hotter temperatures during a glass slumping process, where the material shapes itself around a mold, Apple can bend glass without any interference -- leading to curvy surfaces that are both quicker to make and higher quality. A patent doesn't mean that we'll see a curved iPhone in the immediate future, though. Apple leaves its options open and suggests that anything from mice to TVs could be candidates, should the company take action at all. If the patent ever applies to real-world products, however, we'll have an inkling as to how the bendy shapes came to be.
Apple lands important SIM card connector patent
Sometimes, a patent grant is less about the technology itself than what it could mean for others. Case in point: a newly granted Apple patent for a "mini-SIM connector." The design complements earlier work and represents a straightforward approach to a SIM slot that prevents damage from inserting the card the wrong way and ejects the card through a plunger system. By securing the patent, however, Apple gains a bargaining chip in phone technology disputes, especially for SIM-related tussles; companies are less likely to start a fight if Apple can return fire. The claim doesn't give Apple a lock on subscriber modules by any means, but it could lead to other adopters treading carefully.
USPTO rejects Apple touch input patent used in Samsung case
The US Patent and Trademark Office has handed Apple a tentative rejection of a touch recognition patent that was part of the company's $1.05 billion court victory against Samsung in August. According to FOSS Patents, all 20 claims of US Patent No. 7,844,915 have been invalidated, but it was claim 8 that the jury in the case found all but two of Samsung's devices in the suit to be in violation of. The patent involves methods for differentiating between one- and two-finger gestures on touch devices. Samsung brought the USPTO's finding to the court's attention in hopes that it might increase its chances of winning a request for a new trial. On Monday, Judge Lucy Koh had denied a previous retrial request by the company. The USPTO's rejection is just the first step in a process to permanently invalidate the patent that could last for years. Several pieces of prior art, including two US patents and two Japanese patents, were cited by the office in its decision. The USPTO invalidated Apple's patent covering "rubber-banding" in October.
Microsoft may turn to mobile gaming for crowdsourced mapping data
Keeping map data relevant's a full-time job -- just ask Nokia, Google and, yes, even Apple. Which is why Microsoft may be gearing up to offload some of that heavy lifting to users in the augmented reality guise of mobile gaming. Or at least that's one possible future outlined by a recently surfaced patent application. The USPTO doc, filed back in June of 2011, clearly lays out a crowdsourced "data collection system" whereby users sent on virtual missions to specific real-world targets would aid in the gathering of up-to-date geo-location data. With its thriving Xbox gaming arm and reinvigorated inroads into the mobile space, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for Microsoft to leverage a bit of corporate synergy to make its own mapping service more accurate, or simply license the data. Whatever the case may be, it's all up in legal limbo for the time being. So, for now, you'll have to content yourselves with AR missions of the Ingress kind.
Apple's Mac startup chime now a registered trademark
Ever since the first Mac was sold back in 1984, Apple's computer line has emitted a beep or chime when starting up. It's kind of a way of saying "Hello" to you while letting you know that the computer is going to start going through its boot process. That startup chime is now a registered trademark according to a post on Patently Apple. The startup chime is referred to by the US Patent and Trademark Office as a "sensory mark," and was defined on Apple's original trademark application as "a sound mark consisting of a slightly flat (by approximately 30 cents) G flat/F sharp major chord. Want to annoy your friends or family by playing that startup chime over and over, ad infinitum? You can download it from the USPTO here.
Samsung patent uses tiny, bright pixels to create seamless folding displays
Creating a seamless display in a foldable device can go a long way towards selling customers on the notion that two screens are better than one: otherwise, you end up with a disjointed effect. Samsung has been trying to solve that problem for years, but a newly-granted US patent could represent one of its more direct answers. The technique would put smaller yet bright pixels right at the joints between two displays, letting Samsung push the screen borders closer together while ramping up the brightness to have those edge pixels blend in with the rest. As Samsung would rely on self-lit display technologies like OLED, it could tune the brightness of those tiny pixels relatively easily, without having to lean on complex backlighting. Given that the patent was originally filed in South Korea back in 2006, there's no indication that Samsung is in a rush to start producing foldable phones and tablets. Having a US patent under its belt right as larger mobile OLED screens become viable, however, could come in handy.
USPTO tentatively invalidates key Apple multitouch patent (update)
The US Patent and Trademark Office tentatively invalidated Apple's so-called rubber-banding patent back in October, and it looks like it's now done so again with one of the company's key multitouch-related patents. According to FOSS Patents, the USPTO has issued an Office Action rejecting all 20 claims of patent 7,479,949, which is specifically related to scrolling and is described as "Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics." Unlike the rubber-banding patent, though, this one did not figure in Apple's recent trial with Samsung, although it has been used in cases against Motorola and HTC. Update: To be clear, this is just the first step of the patent's re-examination and Apple gets to respond to each of the issues raised by the USPTO. So, invalidation of all (or any) of the claims is far from assured.
LG patents smart kiosk for wine cellars, creates a sommelier's best friend
That LG would make a wine refrigerator should come as no shock. This is, after all, the same company that made a smartphone-controlled oven. But, as a recently surfaced patent can attest, it appears the Korean electronics giant may have more than cooling soured grapes on its mind. The USPTO filing, which dates back to December of 2009, describes a "mobile terminal" (think: portable kiosk) outfitted with a camera that's capable of scanning wine labels, matching them to a database and then delivering any relevant data. Sounds like a handy tool for those one-percenters with an ever-expanding cellar or, more practically, to help professional boozehounds sommeliers at highfalutin restaurants keep their inventory in order. Whatever the case, we're pretty sure Jack Donaghy approves. Hit up the source below to sift through the legalese for yourself.
