Apple Patent On Hand Gesture Control

Apple got United States Patent 7479949 last weak on January 20, 2009:

"...detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display..."
Source: United States Patent: 7479949

The company is thereby well prepared for future discussions with competitors.

In my mind, apple has gone mad, their in a state of panic since their being overun by cheaper and often more advanced gadgets, and in responce their patenting almost everything they have.
and with multitouch, they went to far, why patent and lock down something that could be so usefull for the whole industry?

I wonder:
How can they get a patent on something that is just dependend on the screen? I mean, they didn't invent the capacitive Touchscreen, probably they bought it from another company(for example samsung, or whatever). With this screen, you can do multitouch and scrolling. How is that Apple's invention??? That's crap! Just read the abstract of the patent:
Patent

It's the same if I buy basketballs, colour them blue and sell them on my name. And then I get the patent on the dribbling motion.

@Coninsan:
"and with multitouch, they went to far, why patent and lock down something that could be so usefull for the whole industry?"
Firstly, they're not locking it down because you can use multitouch as long as you pay Apple $$. Second, why they're doing it? Obviously for the same $$.

@Sportler:
Was there a multitouch-phone before the iPhone? Apparently not, so they intented it and therefore they can patent it. As has happened.

But patents are very specific. So they can't patent a general multitouch screen, but their multitouch screen.
So other companies will be able to create their own system to produce a multitouch screen.

How is this going to effect the M8 sales in Europe & USA?

Originally Posted by twkii

How is this going to effect the M8 sales in Europe & USA?

Obviously if Meizu try to release the M8 officially overseas in USA or Europe (wherever the iphone is sold officially), apple will try to sue them.

but didn't they just apply in the us, that shouldn't affect sales in europe - yet...

Originally Posted by justonequickpost

but didn't they just apply in the us, that shouldn't affect sales in europe - yet...

Well if the iphone has been released (officially) in USA and Europe. Why only apply for US? That would be a waste. But if your right, then there is hope for an international version (in Europe of course.......maybe even in Asia/Oceania too).

I only read the abstract, but it looks to me that this patent is specific to the method used to translate the touch screen signals to actual UI commands. If that is the case, it should be possible to come up with multiple different methods that achieve the exact same thing, so Meizu's multi-touch could still be safe.

On the other hand, if this patent actually gives ownership of simple things like the "swipe" and "pinch" gestures to Apple, then it's sad news to the world of technology... unfortunately, that would be just one of many examples in the current trend of patent absurdity. Patent systems (even the European one) are in serious need of a revision. Otherwise, the future will be a very grim and dark place for software and hardware developers.

Anyway, we will soon have a chance to see what Apple can or can't do with this patent. The biggest competitor to the iPhone so far, the Palm Pre, will be going to market in a few months, and Apple has already thrown some open threats towards it. I will be rooting for Palm

@DusL:
Do you really think it makes sense for a trivial concept like "phone + multi-touch" to be patentable, and therefore become possession of a single company? Regardless of the fact that it isn't an actual "invention", but just a logical step of evolution that others would come up with by themselves?

this is so messed up. Apple is probably going to patent running or walking next.

apple will not only ruin m8 sales in europe and the us, but also for all other future phones! i mean, its obvious that in the future, multitouch SHOULD be a common factor on a mobile phone. apple is just ruining the future of mobile phones.

its just cheating!

As much as I hate Engadget, they have just put up a pretty nice article regarding Apple's pattents, in the context of a possible legal battle with Palm:
Apple vs. Palm: the in-depth analysis

This makes it clear that patent 7479949 is not as broad as we could assume, and applies simply to the method used to switch between 1D (vertical/horizontal) and 2D (free) scrolling. This is useful for scrolling through browser pages or documents, but I don't think it's much of a worry for Meizu, as an 100% free scrolling approach can allways be used to avoid infringing any patents.

However, there are quite a few other Apple patents, as well as Palm patents which the M8 is infringing besides this one. One of them is the spring-effect when you scroll beyond the limits of a list (file browser for example), which belongs to Apple. Another example, this time owned by Palm, is the dynamic adjustment of screen brightness based on ambient conditions.
All in all, it seems that Palm owns quite a bit of iPhone-related patents, which means they are pretty well armed against Apple. The good news for Meizu is that they could probably try to license those patents from Palm when going for an international M8 release.

Originally Posted by Traps

As much as I hate Engadget, they have just put up a pretty nice article regarding Apple's pattents, in the context of a possible legal battle with Palm:
Apple vs. Palm: the in-depth analysis

Wow! Apple better watch what they get themselves into!

dies this include the use of it in games, or scrolling it through a list?

Doesn't surprise me at all... The US Patent Office is screwed up.

i don't think this patent will last for long, soon, another (or multiple) companies will challenge it. Since the future of mobiles is touch screen, and a touch screen should (essentially) have multitouch. it is possible to challenge a patent and i think it will be passed pretty soon

Originally Posted by SteveMB93

Doesn't surprise me at all... The US is screwed up.

Fixed that for ya