Apple files 'swipe-gesture' patent application
While children were nestled all snug in their beds, Apple apparently had visions of improved touch-screens in its innovative head.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed a patent application from Apple, dated Christmas Day, for a swipe-gesture system to be used on touch-screen keyboards. It would allow a person to "perform certain functions using swipes across the key area rather than tapping particular keys," according to the patent application, authored by Wayne Westerman.
For example, the application explains that leftward, rightward, upward, and downward swipes might be assigned to inserting a space, backspacing, shifting, or inserting a carriage return.
MacRumors, which was first to point out the patent application, notes that Apple sees swipe gestures being used on top of the iPhone's on-screen keyboard to provide people with quick access to common keys. Ars Technica's Infinite Loop, which like MacRumors explains the patent in more detail, likens the technology to a "Palm Graffiti-like interpretation layer to the standard iPhone keyboard."
Here's a sample gesture depicted in the filing:
A downward swipe might be assigned to 'return.'
(Credit: U.S Patent and Trademark Office)
Michelle Meyers is an associate editor who tracks online happenings in media, entertainment, and politics. E-mail Michelle. 
The comment I wrote was in regards to the article about Apple [arbitrarily] booting developer programs from the Apple store. I am confused too, as to how it was attached to the silly swipe article.
Seems a lot like the PDAs only instead of your finger, you used a stylus.
Seems someone is still asleep at the USPO
Go try and reinvent something else Jobs ******, like maybe the Internet with your Limousine Liberal buddy Al Gore.
Sheesh.
YOU'RE the retard.
I'm sorry, but I gotta chip in here... I'm going to disregard everything the OP said as it was excessive an idiotic, but how can you patent something that's already being done? You it's so other companies don't copy it, but isn't this exactly what Apple is doing? Copying a technique already used and then trying to patent it?
Even my Samsung Instinct uses these swipe gestures... I can swipe my finger left or right, up or down to go to the next picture, go to the previous email... and with with companies like Swype who are taking T9 to the next level, I don't know how Apple thinks they can patent this.
Don't you know your party cheated, lied and was voted out of office?
Crawl back under your rock and do play with your Toshiba E470 while the rest of us enjoy our Virus free Apples.
This is another example of Jobs taking credit for something he didn't invent (which is why he couldn't sue MS). A similar GUI was implemented on the Amiga and Atari ST in addition to having been first demonstrated by the inventor of the mouse Douglas Engelbart (who actually invented much of what Steve Jobs takes credit for).
Interestingly, Engelbart called his GUI prototype "windows" also. He was unable to patent because in 1964 the patent office didn't issue patents for software - so Jobs (and everyone else) got a serious freebie.
"In 1968, a 90-minute, staged public demonstration of a networked computer system was held at the Augmentation Research Center -- the first public appearance of the mouse, windows, hypermedia with object linking and addressing, and video teleconferencing." http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa081898.htm
Neither Microsoft nor Apple invented the GUI in it's current form. None of what we see today could be described as non-obvious and patentable in light of the 1964 Englebart demo. I have seen quite a few patent applications, from both companies, that wouldn't pass muster on the obviousness test much less the novelty test. With the exception of beautiful aesthetics, Apple has been playing technological and engineering catch-up with the rest of the PC Industry since they murdered the Apple Lisa (now THAT was a killer machine!).
And just because Apple's advertising campaign says everyone hates Vista doesn't make it so. And Steve telling you you don't want Blu-Ray or HDMI doesn't make it so. (Come on, lack of an HDMI port on the new macbooks isn't for any reason other than to force you to buy an Apple monitor.) Business adoption of Vista is not that much slower than business adoption of XP over Windows 2000, or Windows 2000 over Windows NT.
But I've seen that in every industry. I know that a patent was granted (thats GRANTED, not just applied for) for a tri-fold corrugate panel (of any size) in 1998 (You know, like the backboards we all used to use for science fair projects). Frivolous Patent Applications, just like frivolous lawsuits, should be subject to punitive or criminal action, and someone needs to take the rubber GRANTED stamps away from the patent clerks.
Up, down left and right are exact phrases with exact angles, slightly up, slightly down, slightly left and slightly right aren't.
I can just add slightly in the documentation.
Damn it, they added a ratio detection on H:V. ;_;
Seriously though, screw Apple, abusing patents yet again.
At least Mac is moving towards something. The iPhone has made such a rattle that all companies have taken notice.
The laptop are using that innovation, the iPods are doing the same, it wont be long before we see desktops ,TV's and autos following suit.
Wheres Microsoft, writing commercials on how hip their PC users are, how to give Vista another chance-"It's not so bad" No strides towards a working system to give the customer good software and advancement. They did write something recently, I saw an article that Microsoft wrote an App for iTunes, hey its a start.
A great many of the Apple, OSS and Linux guys talk about the "microsoft lock-in". Well, at least the Linux guys aren't being hypocritical when they talk about it. And as far as Apple being "innovative"? Apple's an AD and IMAGE company. Period. Their products are expressly designed in order to stifle innovation and competition.
- by mssoot January 15, 2009 9:45 AM PST
- It time to start a suit. This device causes serious carpal tunnel syndrome. Wiping boogies results in serious permanent injuries......................... The legal system works both ways Jobs
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