Apple has launched a new multi-purpose phone again. touch patent.
Once again, Apple now has its own touch interface on smartphones.
But much of the debate about the breadth of claims masks the complexity of language that limits the scope of patent coverage.
These restrictions are important on the surface and may be more so in court battles.
When only the claim in the patent has legal protection, some of the mistakes that the patent actually says are focused on the abstraction of the patent.
As with most patents, Apple's patent number 7,966,578 has very specific claims.
The most important thing is the five independent claims, which laid the framework for understanding what the patent actually covers.
This is the first independent statement: a method that includes: on a portable multi-functional device with one or more processors, memory, and touch screen displays;
Display part of the web page content in the fixed application window on the touch screen display, where the part of the web page content includes: the frame that displays the content of some frames, and other content of the web page, including Web content other than Framework content;
Detect translation gestures by a single finger on or near the touch screen display;
In order to detect translation gestures by single finger, the Web content is translated into a new part that displays the web content in the fixed application window on the touch screen display, where, the translation of the content of the web page includes simultaneous translation of the display of the content of the framework and other content of the web page;
Detect translation gestures on or near the touch screen display with two fingers;
To detect translation gestures in response to two fingers, translate frame content to display the new part frame content in the fixed application window on the touch screen display, without translating the rest of the web page.
Let's break it down: The statement covers a method, or a series of steps to accomplish something.
It only covers the method of running on portable multi-functional devices with processors, memory and touch screen displays.
So, for example, a single
The use of portable devices that happen to use processors, memory, and touch screen displays will not be affected.
Display a fixed application window that must display the content of some web pages.
The content has a "frame" that shows some Web content, and there is something else outside the frame.
A finger gesture causes the web page to display new parts in the app window so that content inside and outside the frame is translated or moved at the same time. A two-
Finger gestures cause the web page to display the new part in the app window so that the content frame will translate so that the frame will display the new part of the page, but the content outside the frame is not translated.
The second independent clause and some subordinate clauses extend the same concept to more general page content, such as word processing pages or maps, and gestures involving more fingers, as long as the two types of translations use gestures of different numbers of fingers.
The third to fifth independent terms cover the graphical user interface, multi-functional devices, and programs on storage media related to this particular display and translation function.
This is a long list of restrictions.
Raymond Van Dyck, an independent technology patent lawyer, said: "It is not possible for this patent to encapsulate all uses of making gestures with computers . ".
For example, the patent may not include more mobile phones
Using the touch interface of two different gestures, each uses the same number of fingers to complete the two tasks described.
Apple may still have a good legal tool in its ongoing legal wear battle with many other smartphone vendors.
"Even if you may have a lot of limitations, it can be powerful if they have bottlenecks," Van Dyck said . ".
There may be other restrictions. There may also be other restrictions in the history of patent prosecution.
For example, does Apple's lawyer admit that a fixed application window with a frame is different from an application running full screen?
"You have to add all these restrictions together, and then you can understand the scope of the claim," Van Dyck said . ".
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This patent may not be its biggest ammo in its patent war, although many think it will be.
However, it can force others-Google (GOOG)
In particular--
In order to distinguish their interface and Apple's more clearly? Very possibly.
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Touch Patent on unstable GroundImage: Website standard license.