Tonight, I recommend reading Antonio Regalado's article in MIT Technology Review:
Steve Jobs Lives on at the Patent Office.
As stated: "Years after his death, the former Apple CEO still wins patents." It is amazing that he is an inventor on 458 US patents (141 posthumously awarded). Some in the article questioned Steve Jobs role as a joint inventor, but the law only requires an inventive contribution. Beside Mr. Jobs' ability to collaborate with many others is a strength. It is also difficult to argue against his innovative contribution and influence on a tech company brought back from the brink in 1990s to the most valuable corporation in the nation building one of the largest US patent portfolios.
Copyright © 2014 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
Showing posts with label Steve Jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve Jobs. Show all posts
Friday, November 28, 2014
Thursday, October 17, 2013
USPTO Confirms Validity All Claims of Steve Jobs Patent in Reexamination
Today, FOSS reports U.S. Patent Office confirmed all 20 claims of the Steve Jobs patent: bad for Samsung, Google.
U.S. Patent No. 7,479,949 to Steve Jobs et al. addresses the "need for touch-screen-display electronic devices with more transparent and intuitive user interfaces for translating imprecise user gestures into precise, intended commands that are easy to use, configure, and/or adapt ... in mobile computing devices."
Not only are all claims confirmed as patentable, the ex parte reexamination certificate states "no amendments have been made to the patent." Thus, an infringer cannot argue they obtained intervening rights. Of course, this allows damages up to six years before filing the patent infringement action. Further, this patent does not appear to be a standard essential patent (SEP) in any sense of the word and de facto SEPs has not caught on. So Apple may not only get damages, it may seek injunctions. Sure people are getting smarter about designing around, but tinkering with the UI risks annoying users into switching to an iPhone. I guess losing every aspect of an ex parte reexamination although rare has some not so fun implications. It may not bar validity challenges in court, but it may convince some courts that a validity challenge on similar literature should fail.
Copyright © 2013 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
U.S. Patent No. 7,479,949 to Steve Jobs et al. addresses the "need for touch-screen-display electronic devices with more transparent and intuitive user interfaces for translating imprecise user gestures into precise, intended commands that are easy to use, configure, and/or adapt ... in mobile computing devices."
Not only are all claims confirmed as patentable, the ex parte reexamination certificate states "no amendments have been made to the patent." Thus, an infringer cannot argue they obtained intervening rights. Of course, this allows damages up to six years before filing the patent infringement action. Further, this patent does not appear to be a standard essential patent (SEP) in any sense of the word and de facto SEPs has not caught on. So Apple may not only get damages, it may seek injunctions. Sure people are getting smarter about designing around, but tinkering with the UI risks annoying users into switching to an iPhone. I guess losing every aspect of an ex parte reexamination although rare has some not so fun implications. It may not bar validity challenges in court, but it may convince some courts that a validity challenge on similar literature should fail.
Copyright © 2013 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
The Patents and Trademarks of Steve Jobs at the Smithsonian
The Patents and Trademarks of Steve Jobs: Art and Technology that Changed the World is being exhibited at the Smithsonian's Ripley Center Museum, Concourse, sublevel 3 from May 11 to July 8, 2012. Steve Jobs is best known as the Apple and Pixar CEO rather than as a prolific inventor. Yet he was granted over 300 U.S. patents that have affected many lives. He also is responsible for many Apple trademarks that are associated with Apple worldwide. The link above and below show part of the exhibit, but if you visit the Smithsonian, please take photos and send to my email address (on the right hand side) so we can post it.
Steve Jobs Didn't Invent Design, But He Patented It - NPR
Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
Steve Jobs Didn't Invent Design, But He Patented It - NPR
Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
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