Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Is Apple's Multi-Touch Patent Valid?

Posted by timothy on from the what-the-judge-says-it-is dept.

An anonymous reader writes "There is evidence that Apple's multi-touch patent application may have failed to list some prior art that showed gestures in multi-touch interfaces as early as the mid 1980s. Some of these examples even appear in the bibliography of Wayne Westerman's doctoral dissertation, and he's one of the inventors on the application's list. If true, that could leave them wide open for legal attack, should they try suing someone like Palm for patent infringement. Also, Apple may be infringing some key multi-touch patents owned by the University of Delaware — and co-developed by Westerman while getting his doctorate."

5 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Multitouch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Is Apple's implementation valid? No, it's FAGID

    Haw HAW HAAAAWWWWWWW!

  2. Prior art by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    On yeah.

    Captcha was "bottomed"...

  3. Re:It is inevitably infringing itself. by binarylarry · · Score: 1, Troll

    That's why I specifically said "Commercial or public use (whether its educational or not)."

    The IP owner has to be able to specifically show how the infringer did X which caused the IP owner to lose the ability to do Y.

    Good luck telling a judge that you THINK someone is infringing on your patent in their basement for their own use and you want in on the action because you're legally entitled.

    What are you, an RIAA lawyer?

    --
    Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
  4. Re:I sincerely hope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Rubbish.

    It was Apple that brought about this massive change in mobile phone layouts. The other guys have been in the business for year and years and nothing happened until Apple forced their hand. And the other guys still suck. Even after Apple gave them a 15 month lead on (between the Edge and 3G iPhones).

    Apple will continue to produce devices that are better than everybody else. There will be no stagnation. The other guys will continue to suck like they always have.

  5. Re:Victory over innocence by daath93 · · Score: 0, Troll

    I just cant buy Apple for reasons too numerous to mention, but the major one lately: Someone save me from your fanboys! I sit on the commuter train and everyone has the same plain white headphones stuck in their ears. I walk by a Starbucks I see table after table of people dressed by old navy sipping coffee and blogging on their plain white macbook.

    I saw one the other day that someone put a Che Guevara sticker on and it suddenly became very clear...Apple's vision of 1984 is finally here!