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German Court Finds Apple's 'Slide To Unlock' Patent Invalid

Posted by timothy on from the einfach-zu-einfach dept.

New submitter anderzole writes "Germany's Federal Patent Court on Thursday invalidated all of Apple's claims for its slide-to-unlock patent. They death blow for Apple's slide to unlock patent was likely a Swedish phone called the Neonode N1m that launched well before the iPhone and featured its own slide to unlock implementation. The N1m was released in 2005 while Apple's own patent for slide to unlock wasn't filed until December of 2005."

2 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's sad by tqk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That something like this even comes to court.

    What's sad is something like this was awarded a patent. I have two (physical) slide to unlock buttons on the base of my laptop. Why were they awarded a patent for doing the same in software?!? How much time, money, and effort has that stupid decision sucked out of the numerous justice systems where this raised its head?

    --
    "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
  2. Re: It's sad by Takatata · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Problem is if apple didnt patent it someone else would have filed a patent years later and sued apple

    Yes.

    It's a no win for apple, patent and they're the bad guy, don't patent and they get sued

    No. Patents are not like trademarks. If you don't defend them you don't lose them. Maybe Apple is forced to patent silly stuff. Nobody would complain if this was all they do. But nobody forces Apple to be an ******* and actually use the silly patents to sue other companies. This makes them the bad guys.