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Apple Receives Patents For Bezel-Free Display, Touch ID Button Embedded In Screen (9to5mac.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the foreshadowing-a-new-iPhone dept.

Apple has just been granted patents for two of the biggest features expected from the iPhone 8: an edge-to-edge display, and a Touch ID button embedded into the screen. 9to5Mac reports: The edge-to-edge display patent has the rather mundane heading "Reducing the border area of a device." It describes how a mostly-flat display can have a curved border area allowing it to wrap around the sides of the device: [...] "This relates to methods and systems for reducing the border areas of an electronic device so as to maximize the display/interactive touch areas of the device. In particular, a flexible substrate can be used to fabricate the display panel and/or the touch sensor panel (referred to collectively herein as a 'circuit panel') of a mobile electronic device so that the edges of the display panel and/or the touch sensor panel can be bent. Bending the edges can reduce the width (or length) of the panel, which in turn can allow the overall device to be narrower without reducing the display/touch-active area of the device." The embedded Touch ID patent is one of many submitted by Apple, describing different approaches it could take. This one re-uses language from a separate patent granted back in February, describing the benefits of allowing a user to authenticate without having to remove their finger from the screen: "Where a fingerprint sensor is integrated into an electronic device or host device, for example, as noted above, it may be desirable to more quickly perform authentication, particularly while performing another task or an application on the electronic device. In other words, in some instances it may be undesirable to have a user perform an authentication in a separate authentication step, for example switching between tasks to perform the authentication." Apple has been granted a total of 56 patents today. For more information, visit Patently Apple.

5 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Really?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oh man... the US patent system is beyond broken and useless...

    1. Re:Really?! by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Basically I don't care about Apple. I just think that the patent application process should include the question "could a 3 year old come up with the idea?" and if the answer is yes, throw it out on principle.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re: Really?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The patent system wouldn't matter if it weren't for the stupid legal system. Apple could apply for a patent on anything and sue you and you would lose based on that you don't have enough money. Is that encouraging innovation? No. But yeah, the patent system is broken and needs to go.

    3. Re: Really?! by Entrope · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The basic idea (bezel-less phone) is pretty obvious. The mechanism (curved screen to slightly wrap around) is the easier of the obvious two ways to make it work.

      If your competitors design, build, and ship the claimed invention before your patent application is disclosed, maybe it's pretty obvious to one skilled in the art.

  2. Oh great, fake buttons so much better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The best thing about the iPhone was the physical home button. At least you knew by feedback that you were activating it purposely and not by mistake. I'm old school,I like physical switches and buttons and to me software buttons are just a way to save money and do not work as well.