Apple wins iPad 2 design patent
Apple on Tuesday was awarded a patent for the iPad 2, protecting the second-generation tablet's iconic tapered edges and thin-and-light design.
Source: USPTO
The patent, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, was filed for two months before the tablet was unveiled in 2011, and cites patent documents as far back as 1947.
Illustration of iPad 2's rear casing.
Apple's iPad 2 was somewhat of a departure from the original iPad, and boasted a thinner design, thinner side aluminum sidewalls and two cameras. Of particular interest to the patent filers were the raked corners, a variation of the comparably flat first-generation iPad which had corners and sides that ended abruptly at almost a right angle.
Illustration of iPad 2's sweeping corners.
Tuesday's patent comes one week after Apple was granted a patent covering the design of the original iPad in 2010.
Among the credited inventors are Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jony Ive and veteran designer Christopher Stringer, who was called upon during the Apple v. Samsung trial to describe the company's various tablet and smartphone designs.
Source: USPTO
The patent, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, was filed for two months before the tablet was unveiled in 2011, and cites patent documents as far back as 1947.
Illustration of iPad 2's rear casing.
Apple's iPad 2 was somewhat of a departure from the original iPad, and boasted a thinner design, thinner side aluminum sidewalls and two cameras. Of particular interest to the patent filers were the raked corners, a variation of the comparably flat first-generation iPad which had corners and sides that ended abruptly at almost a right angle.
Illustration of iPad 2's sweeping corners.
Tuesday's patent comes one week after Apple was granted a patent covering the design of the original iPad in 2010.
Among the credited inventors are Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jony Ive and veteran designer Christopher Stringer, who was called upon during the Apple v. Samsung trial to describe the company's various tablet and smartphone designs.
Comments
I didn't think it was possible to patent 'thin' or 'light'. So that means no one can make a tablet as light as Apple's or is it like a Merchant of Venice thing where Apple has to specify an exact weight which is patented. Or has Apple patented a range of weights.
Does the patent also specify the precise 'thinness' which Apple has patented.
The US patent system is so f**ked up it boggles the mind.
There is zero chance that Apple can successfully prosecute this patent against anyone, even though it is totally obvious to the most casual observer that the rest of the tech industry is blatantly copying the iPad, iPhone, and Mac designs on an ongoing basis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnalogJack
" ...and thin-and-light design"
I didn't think it was possible to patent 'thin' or 'light'. So that means no one can make a tablet as light as Apple's or is it like a Merchant of Venice thing where Apple has to specify an exact weight which is patented. Or has Apple patented a range of weights.
Does the patent also specify the precise 'thinness' which Apple has patented.
No, you cannot patent "thin and light". Nor has Apple been specific on size, weight or any other limiting measurement. Nor does Apple claim this to be the specific iPad2 design AFAIK. A cursory look at the images shows that it might exactly match the iPad2, but note that dotted lines are not part of the claims unless specified otherwise. They are simply there to aid in understanding the overall design, but not essential to or included in the design patent. Apple generally tries to be as non-specific as the patent office examiner will allow. I suspect that's why some of Apple's patents seem to take some time to reach approval, with quite a bit of communication (negotiation) going back and forth with the PTSO to determine what will pass and what won't.
This all made me thing about car designs. Yesterday I parked next to a Nissan Murano then took a second look. It had a Kia badge on the back! It is astounding how many designs by other car companies Kia has blatantly copied it its rise to success and I've not read of any law suits, if I missed them please enlighten me. What is it with Korean companies?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnalogJack
" ...and thin-and-light design"
I didn't think it was possible to patent 'thin' or 'light'.
Those are AppleInsider's words. They are not in the patent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dolphin0611
Apple seems to be really going for it in terms of applying for patents, and they are getting them too. It's important, of course, for a company to protect their intellectual property, so I'm not against that principle. But, I can't help wondering what will happen when Apple gets so many patents, especially design patents, that the competition will have a really hard time bringing out their own tablets, without them looking awful or being impractical. Now, Apple is leading the pack with the iPad, but I hope they will not be the only company that can make great tablets. In this case, the raked corners sound plausible, but tapered edges and a slim design? Hmm. And how does a company who is trying to create a tablet (or a court) determine how close their design is to Apple's patent design. Furthermore, how does the US Patent and Trademark decide if a product can be granted a design patent. It seems that, currently, for technological products such as tablets and smart phones, we are in a terrible patent war and companies are aiming to get as much ammunition or defenses as possible. If this continues, it will really stifle competition and companies are going to have a really hard time trying to create new products that don't infringe on some patent owned by somebody else. I hope Microsoft with Surface, and Samsung with their Galaxy note or Tab, for example, can continue making tablets, and other companies too. In addition, a monopoly is not what the consumer wants probably, and competition creates better products and prices, right? I wonder what the future will hold.
samsung has like 5000 patents per year, right behind IBM. apple is not the problem.
Patent tapered edges, aluminum back and thin and light design? The patent system seems pretty far out of whack.
Not really Apple's problem.
That said, folks will challenge this design patent and it could be invalidated. So the game isn't over yet
Worse is that many of Samsung's patents are SEP and yet they try to deny licenses, charge outrageous amounts, demand non SEP in exchange and even double dip exhausted patents
This is nonsense....
This proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the patent system is completely broken......
As do your deductive reasoning skills.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick_S
Congratulations for another patent, Apple! Too bad you cannot enforce it.
The US patent system is so f**ked up it boggles the mind.
There is zero chance that Apple can successfully prosecute this patent against anyone, even though it is totally obvious to the most casual observer that the rest of the tech industry is blatantly copying the iPad, iPhone, and Mac designs on an ongoing basis.
C'mon. Google will simply tell Congress that "thin and light" is standards essential after the fact.
And according to Samsung's layers, there's no "blatantly copying the iPad, iPhone designs on an ongoing basis how dare you mr. biased jury foreman"
Originally Posted by Patrick_S
The US patent system is so f**ked up it boggles the mind.
Originally Posted by sranger
This proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the patent system is completely broken......
Originally Posted by Sasparilla
The patent system seems pretty far out of whack.
Thanks for destroying your credibility early.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Thanks for destroying your credibility early.
Why?
Because I have an opinion?
Originally Posted by sranger
Why?
Because I have an opinion?
Because you have an opinion backed by… nothing whatsoever, and because it falls in line with a common theme of 'opinions' stated to detract from Apple.
You and me Apple; We are taking over the world!
Oh - you have. Silly me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Thanks for destroying your credibility early.
Interesting you put Patrick_S comments in your reply, when it clear he was supporting Apple and stating, how long it takes to get a patent approved. or is there some hidden meaning in his words?
his last sentence was clear, he is support of Apple, so I would not say he has lose any credibility at all.
They already look that way, with or without patents granted to Apple.
Originally Posted by souliisoul
Interesting you put Patrick_S comments in your reply, when it clear he was supporting Apple and stating, how long it takes to get a patent approved. or is there some hidden meaning in his words?
He still said what he said, implying that the system itself is inherently flawed. It isn't, but I definitely agree that the timing is all off.
When you see these court cases that take years to even get before a judge, you don't say the justice system is flawed. The justice system is pretty great; the sheer number of cases forces it to move far more slowly than is acceptable, is all. Same with patents.