Massive new Apple patent filing details multi-user support, trackpad controls with Touch ID

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 48
    As usual, the all-important link to the source material has been left out. I'm off to find out which site AI swiped this story and rewrite it without attributing credit.

    UPDATE: Here's the link... patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2013173838&recNum=19&maxRec=21212&office=&prevFilter=&sortOption=Pub+Date+Desc&queryString=FP%3A%28Apple%29&tab=PCT+Biblio
  • Reply 22 of 48
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Three years ago, before the iPad was even announced, I wrote up something that explicitly utilized this idea on a touchscreen. When you know which finger is which, you can easily get rid of mouse and keyboard.

    Glad to see I’m not a completely worthless moron.

    How were we to know that you're a Touch ID idiot savant? :lol:
  • Reply 23 of 48
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    As usual, the all-important link to the source material has been left out. I'm off to find out which site AI swiped this story and rewrite it without attributing credit.

    My guess? AI's writer was "influenced" by an article at MacRumors that was posted up a few hours earlier.
    http://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/25/apples-plans-to-enhance-touch-id-with-trackpad-capabilities-and-display-integration-revealed/

    which in turn MacRumors credited to this source:
    http://www.unwiredview.com/2013/11/25/apples-plans-for-touch-id-trackpad-for-5-iphones-all-display-as-fingerprint-scanner-more-in-a-patent-app/
  • Reply 24 of 48
    tcaseytcasey Posts: 199member
    Rumor has it Samsuck was complaint the filing was not in Korean for them to rip off...
  • Reply 25 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    My guess? AI's writer was "influenced" by an article at MacRumors that was posted up a few hours earlier.

    http://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/25/apples-plans-to-enhance-touch-id-with-trackpad-capabilities-and-display-integration-revealed/



    which in turn MacRumors credited to this source:

    http://www.unwiredview.com/2013/11/25/apples-plans-for-touch-id-trackpad-for-5-iphones-all-display-as-fingerprint-scanner-more-in-a-patent-app/

     

    I'll have to find the time to read that patent application. ;)

  • Reply 26 of 48
    Quote:
     Using a fingerprint sensor embedded in the display, the operating system can permit or deny access to individual users on a per-app basis


    In the display? I don't see that happening any time soon - I don't think any company's even started talking about displays with these qualities yet, let alone demoing them or preparing them for production.

  • Reply 27 of 48
    Three years ago, before the iPad was even announced, I wrote up something that explicitly utilized this idea on a touchscreen. When you know which finger is which, you can easily get rid of mouse and keyboard.

    Glad to see I’m not a completely worthless moron.
    Your not a worthless moron, you do have many interesting things to say, every once in a while it shows(like now).
  • Reply 28 of 48
    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post

    How were we to know that you're a Touch ID idiot savant? image

     

    Oh, not even Touch ID. I mean on the touchscreen itself. Different fingers leave different shapes; they’ll be distinguishable due to that and the relationship between other fingers on the display.

     

    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post

    every once in a while

     

    There we go. <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 29 of 48
    This is definitely the future for corporations! - Easy multi-user access based on biometric identifiers.
  • Reply 30 of 48
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,198member

    464 claims, of which 180 are independent? The filing fee must have been a doozy!!!!!

  • Reply 31 of 48
    Samsung has put a lot of rivals out of business by copying them. It's not a practice to be taken lightly by competitors. Samsung has made countless billions of dollars from copying Apple. Samsung put a serious kink in Apple's mobile business by copying them and only Apple and Apple shareholders are the big losers while everyone else on the planet and Wall Street seem perfectly happy with that. Crime certainly does pay and not everyone is concerned about morality when it comes to making big money. Apple needs to find better ways of securing their IP or whatever to protect themselves. I'm sure Google is able to protect its search algorithms so that no one else can use them. Apple needs to do the same with its product design.

    Apple's iOS user interface wasn't protected well enough and Google was able to copy it pretty easily. That's Apple's fault because Steve Jobs was too trusting and practically gave it away. Let's hope this doesn't happen again in the future. Free Android is about the worst thing that could have ever happened to Apple and it appears to be impossible for Apple to take it down or even make any headway against it.
  • Reply 32 of 48
    Well, Apple should file a software patent where if Samscum copy its code, the device will blow up.
  • Reply 33 of 48
    froodfrood Posts: 771member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

     
    New Touch ID patent


     


     


     

     

    Waiting for Samsung, "Apple can't patent 'hands' "

  • Reply 34 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by psitthipo View Post

     

    I don't know much about patents so could someone explain. The multi-user feature is already available on Android so how can Apple patent it? 


    The fact that "The multi-user feature is already available on Android" is  very good news for Apple and its shareholders.

     

    Why?

     

    Because Apple OWN the patent for Multi Use.

     

    In an Apple v Motorola(i.e.Google) case the ITC found Apple's Multi Touch patent invalid.  However the Federal Court Of Appeal OVERRULED the ITC and found that Apple's Multi Touch patent is VALID and have remanded the case back to the ITC, who are BOUND by the Federal Court ruling.

     

    This is a very significant win for Apple, because in practical terms the Federal Court Of Appeal ruling is final. The only way to overturn the Federal Court Of Appeal is to Appeal to the Supreme Court which is far too busy to hear minor cases about patents unless there is a significant novel point of law at stake, which there apparently is not in this case.  The Supreme Court therefore would almost certainly refuse to to hear an appeal from Motorola/Google.

     

    So watch this space, because it appears that there will soon be an import ban on Motorola/Google phones infringing on Apple's Multi Touch patent. Once Apple have got that they can then get an import ban on Samsung and all other Droids phones and tablets using Multi Touch.

     

    Additionally, Apple will be able to sue all Droids for financial damages and compensation for infringing on their Multi Touch  patent, which will add billions of $$$ to Apple's coffers.

  • Reply 35 of 48
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Constable Odo View Post



    Samsung has put a lot of rivals out of business by copying them. It's not a practice to be taken lightly by competitors. Samsung has made countless billions of dollars from copying Apple. Samsung put a serious kink in Apple's mobile business by copying them and only Apple and Apple shareholders are the big losers while everyone else on the planet and Wall Street seem perfectly happy with that. Crime certainly does pay and not everyone is concerned about morality when it comes to making big money. Apple needs to find better ways of securing their IP or whatever to protect themselves. I'm sure Google is able to protect its search algorithms so that no one else can use them. Apple needs to do the same with its product design.



    Apple's iOS user interface wasn't protected well enough and Google was able to copy it pretty easily. That's Apple's fault because Steve Jobs was too trusting and practically gave it away. Let's hope this doesn't happen again in the future. Free Android is about the worst thing that could have ever happened to Apple and it appears to be impossible for Apple to take it down or even make any headway against it.

    Contable DODO, you keep going on about how Samsung and Android are taking market share from iPhones and how Samsung is getting away with copying and stealing Apple's IP and that Apple are doomed.

     

    YOU COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG

     

    FIRSTLY, Samsung and Android are gaining market share in CHEAP LOW PROFIT smartphones in underdeveloped economies, where only a small proportion of people can afford the best i.e. iPhones. However iPhones are GAINING market share in HIGH END MORE PROFITABLE smartphones  over the past 12 to 18 months in more advanced economies with more affluent consumers,  for example in the US and Canada, much of Europe, Japan, Australia etc., while Samsung and Android have been LOSING market share to iPhones in most of these markets

     

    SECONDLY Apple are making MORE PROFITS than ALL THE REST OF THE MOBILE INDUSTRY COMBINED

     

    THIRDLY, the $930 million which Samsung will have to pay in Apple in the first two San Jose trails are just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG of the cost Samsung. Not only have they now been  found guilty and admitted that they stole Apples IP but Samsung have been indelibly BRANDED COPYCAT THIEVES, which is immensely damaging for their reputation and sales, especially in the US and the rest of the English speaking world.

     

    However $930m damages is just the beginning. Samsung are going to have to pay countless billions of $$$ more to Apple AND many Samsung and Droid phones and tablets are going toto have injunctions placed on them as well as have import bans imposed for the following reasons:

     

    The number of devices and the period of time at issue in the San Jose trials was reduced WITHOUT PREJUDICE, meaning that Apple can sue Samsung again and again

    a)  for other devices infringing on the same patents

    b)  for damages for more time since the first San Jose trial

    c) for other patent infringements - Apple have hundreds of patents relating to iPhones, iPads and Multi Touch, many of which appear to have been infringed by Samsung and other Androids.

    d) Additionally, TWO Federal Appeal Courts have UPHELD Apple's appeals making it significantly easier and much more likely for Apple to obtain injunctions against Samsung and other Androids as well as import bans by the ITC.

    In particular, this week's ruling by the Federal Court Of Appeal significantly lowered the bar on the level of proof that Apple has to provide in order to obtain injunctions. Very helpfully for Apple the Appeal Court even clearly set out the criteria as follows

    ""Apple must show SOME (my Caps) connection between the patented feature and demand for Samsung's products."

    "Some Connection" is a very low hurdle for Apple

    In fact it seems that the juries in both San Jose trials have already made binding findings of fact of "some connection" and awarded damages to Apple on that basis.

    It hardly seems likely or even possible for the judge NOT to accept the findings of fact of the juries under her own supervision, especially as she has already accepted the $600m damages awarded by the jury to Apple in the first trial.

    e) Once Apple have obtained damages, injunctions and import bans they can then obtain the same against other Droid devices for devices which are not "colorably different" and infringing on the same patents.

     

  • Reply 36 of 48
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    jeffarino wrote: »
    I think you can safely change the verb "photocopy" to "Samsung"   Try: "Never know when someone might try to "Samsung" it.  Much shorter everyone.  One may as well get right to the point.

    First use of "Samsung" as a verb?

    "To Samsung: to steal by copying; to profit by imitation of others' work."

    How long before it joins "selfie" and other words of the year in the Oxford?
  • Reply 37 of 48
    Guess you hate every newspaper ever, then. They don’t even bother with the comma!

    Must be an American thing.
    Never mind, found Macrumors. They don't do the comma thing and they seem to report everything a few hours before appleinsider.
    It's like appleinsider are samsunging Macrumors. ;)
  • Reply 38 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jeffarino View Post

     

    I think you can safely change the verb "photocopy" to "Samsung"   Try: "Never know when someone might try to "Samsung" it.  Much shorter everyone.  One may as well get right to the point.


     

    I guess "Samsung" also stole "Xerox". "Xerox" is has been used synonymously with "photocopy" for long time.

  • Reply 39 of 48
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    The fact that "The multi-user feature is already available on Android" is  very good news for Apple and its shareholders.

    Why?

    [SIZE=18px]Because Apple OWN the patent for Multi Use.[/SIZE]

    You're confused. Mutli-use(r), discussed here, and multi-touch are two different features. Even with multi-touch Apple hardly has a corner on it. Do a Google Patent search. There's a whole lotta companies holding patents in multi-touch besides Apple.
  • Reply 40 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    You're confused. Mutli-use(r), discussed here, and multi-touch are two different features. Even with multi-touch Apple hardly has a corner on it. Do a Google Patent search. There's a whole lotta companies holding patents in multi-touch besides Apple.

    Yes, you are right that I was referring to Apple's Multi Touch patent:  U.S. Patent No. 7,663,607 described as a "multipoint touchscreen" which  lies at the heart of touch screen technology. Both Palm and Motorola have tried unsuccessfully to claim it was invalid, (other patents, prior art etc.) However, the Federal Court Of Appeal ruled in favour of Apple and found the patent valid. This is what one of the appeal  judges commented:

     

    ""The Smartphone has defined modern life. Be it in the workplace, the home, airports, or entertainment venues across America, individuals are tethered to their handheld devices. Not long ago, users primarily spoke into these devices. Today, fingers tapping, grazing, pinching, or scrolling the screen is a ubiquitous image that reflects how we conduct business, work, play, and live. The asserted patent in this case is an invention that has propelled not just technology, but also dramatically altered how humans across the globe interact and communicate. It marks true innovation."

     

     

    Furthermore the USPTO has fallen in line with the Appeal Court's ruling and has rejected all the anonymous objections (presumably by Samsung and/or Motorola/Google) regarding Apple's 20 claims relating to another patent, No. 7,479,949, which is another critical Apple Multi Touch with wide scope, otherwise known as Steve Jobs "Heuristics" Patent  "touchscreen device, method and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics……...On September 4, the USPTO issued a certificate which states: "No amendments have been made to the patent. As a result of the re-examination, it has been determined that: The patentability of claims 1-20 is confirmed."

     

    techradar(DOT)com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-s-crucial-multi-touch-patent-claims-confirmed-by-uspto-1190752

     

    Samsung have been found guilty by the ITC of infringing on the "949" patent. Apple are requesting a ban on all Samsung devices which infringe this patent and this request will later be extended to all other infringing Samsung and Droid devices

     

    ?This is very, very significant and it is difficult to see how any of Apple's rivals will be able to create a workaround to these two crucial Multi Touch patent. 

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