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Pinch-To-Zoom Apple Patent Rejected By USPTO

Posted by Soulskill on from the somebody-pinch-me-and-patent-it dept.

freddienumber13 writes "In another patent surprise, a patent application by Apple for pinch-to-zoom has been rejected by the USPTO on the grounds that its claims were either anticipated by previous patents or simply unpatentable. This will be welcome news for Samsung, who back in April asked for a stay of the trial. However, Apple has a short period of time in which they can appeal this finding."

3 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. reason it was rejected raises some new questions by Trepidity · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The main reason it was rejected appears to be that its claims were anticipated by patent 7,724,242. But now that patent still covers a pretty wide range of the same things, and is still valid (at least so far).

    And if we look at who filed that patent, it's two people whose names appear at the list of Senior Inventors of everyone's favorite litigious organization that doesn't technically hold patents itself...

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    10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
  2. Finally, some good news by ianare · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apple seems to be losing much of the gains they made during the initial trial. Not even at appeal yet and already getting patents invalidaded.

    Hopefully this is part of a trend, where these ridiculous patents get thrown out, or even better, never granted in the first place.

  3. Re:Do they get a refund? by thaylin · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How is it wrong? The government is not all knowing, or all seeing. It makes mistakes, and has to correct those mistakes for the public interest. If you penalize the government like you are stating than they will just let these patents stand, contrary to public interest, which will just cause a rise in crappy patents.

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    When you cant win, ad hominem.