Apple Wins Patents for Photo Booth and a Major Fitness Center App
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Apple Adds another Core iPhone Multitouch Patent to their Arsenal

1 - Apple, core multitouch patent 2011
On December twentieth, The Washington Post reported that "Apple Inc. won a patent-infringement ruling that bans some HTC Corp. smartphones from the U.S. starting next year, bolstering efforts to prove that devices running Google Inc.'s Android operating system copy the iPhone." And today, the US Patent and Trademark Office officially published yet another core iPhone multitouch victory for Apple that will bolster their legal arsenal. This particular multitouch related patent focuses on the oscillator signal and circuit, which are central to sensing a touch event on a touch display. And Finally, we add a Classic Photo collage of Steve Jobs introducing the revolutionary iPhone at Macworld in January 2007. These are images that are seared into most of our memories of Steve.  

 

Apple Wins another Key Multitouch Patent

 

Apple has received another original Multitouch patent from the USPTO. This is the type of patent that could help Apple in legal battles with copycat designers. It's one of the 200 patents that Steve Jobs pointed to when launching the iPhone.

 

2 - Steve Jobs in 2007 touting 200 + inventions in iPhone patents

 

During this historic event, Steve Jobs stated that "We've been pushing the state of the art in every facet of this design. We've got the multi-touch screen, miniaturization, OS X in a mobile device, precision enclosures, three advanced sensors, desktop class applications, and the widescreen video iPod. We filed over 200 patents for all the inventions in Phone and intend to protect them."

 

It was a clear warning to copycat designers back in 2007. So the almost daily whining that we hear in the blogosphere by the copycatters and their fans about Apple abusing the patent system is a farce of the highest order. The fact is that prior to the 2007 iPhone, smartphones were a hassle to use, butt ugly, without an innovative operating system and without a workable multitouch display. Of course the copycatters of this world would love nothing better than to have nothing standing in their way of scooping up profits on the backs of others' work. Knock-off products from Asia are a huge market problem today and it appears that this trend continues through to the copying of the iPhone's features. In the big picture, this is what IP is all about: stopping illegal copying of someone else's intellectual property. Apple is only following through as promised. It's also a duty to their shareholders to do so.

 

The Problem with Single Touch Screen Devices

 

Apple's patent begins by their pointing out the problems of single-point touch displays of the past and provides us with a classic overview of the situation a time prior to the iPhone as follows:

 

Touch screens may include a touch panel, which may be a clear panel with a touch-sensitive surface. The touch panel may be positioned in front of a display screen so that the touch-sensitive surface covers the viewable area of the display screen. Touch screens may allow a user to make selections and move a cursor by simply touching the display screen via a finger or stylus. In general, the touch screen may recognize the touch and position of the touch on the display screen, and the computing system may interpret the touch and thereafter perform an action based on the touch event.

 

One limitation of many conventional touch panel technologies is that they are only capable of reporting a single point or touch event, even when multiple objects come into contact with the sensing surface. That is, they lack the ability to track multiple points of contact at the same time. Thus, even when two points are touched, these conventional devices only identify a single location, which is typically the average between the two contacts (e.g., a conventional touchpad on a notebook computer provides such functionality). This single-point identification is a function of the way these devices provide a value representative of the touch point, which is generally by providing an average resistance or capacitance value.

 

Moreover, many touch-panel devices use oscillating signals to power and clock electronic elements. Examples of their use include providing clock signals, or providing carrier signals which could later be modified to include information. For example, an oscillating signal could be used to drive a row in a capacitive touch sensor panel. Changes to the sensed signal indicate a touch event at the panel.

 

There are various known ways to create an oscillating signal. For example, persons of skill in the art would recognize that a simple circuit including an inductor and a capacitor would create such a signal. However, most circuit based oscillators suffer from the fact that they do not provide a signal with a precise and predictable frequency.

 

Apple's Patent Casts a Wide Net Concerning Multi-Touch Displays

 

Apple's granted patent corrects the problems laid out in their overview noted above. And while the focus of this particular patent covers all-things related to oscillating signals and circuits, Apple states that they incorporate the content of several other major multitouch patents into this patent. Apple states that "In general, multi-touch panels may be able to detect multiple touches (touch events or contact points) that occur at or about the same time, and identify and track their locations. Examples of multi-touch panels are described in Applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/842,862 entitled "Multipoint Touchscreen," filed on May 6, 2004 and published as U.S. Published Application No. 2006/0097991 on May 11, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

 

In view of the above, although this disclosure may describe detecting input in terms of touch-events, it should be understood that the various embodiments disclosed herein may detect near touches or hover-events as well. Accordingly, a touch, a near-touch or a hover may be referred to as an "event" and multiple events that occur at or about the same time may be referred to as a "multi-event."

 

Apple's multi-touch patent states that the invention could apply to computing devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets or handhelds, including personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital music and/or video players and mobile telephones. The computing system may also correspond to public computer systems such as information kiosks, automated teller machines (ATM), point of sale machines (POS), industrial machines, gaming machines, arcade machines, vending machines, airline e-ticket terminals, restaurant reservation terminals, customer service stations, library terminals, learning devices, and the like.

 

Apple's patent FIG. 1 shown below illustrates an exemplary computing system using a multi-touch panel input device.

 

3 - Patent fig 1 Apple Multitouch Patent
 

Apple's patent FIG. 2a shown below illustrates an exemplary capacitive multi-touch panel; patent FIG. 2b is a side view of an exemplary capacitive touch sensor or pixel in a steady-state (no-touch) condition; and patent FIG. 2c is a side view of the exemplary capacitive touch sensor or pixel in a dynamic (touch) condition.

 

4 - Patent figs 2a,b,c Apple Multitouch patent
 

Apple's patent FIG. 5A shown below is a flowchart illustrating operation of calibration logic tuning a local oscillator.

 

5 - patent fig 5a, multitouch Apple patent 2011
 

A Few Key Patent Claims

 

Considering the importance of Apple's Multitouch Patents, we'll list several key patent claims out of a total of forty-seven associated with this patent for the legal professionals amongst us:  

 

Patent Claim 1: A method for tuning a local oscillator of an event-sensitive device, comprising: tuning the local oscillator to a desired frequency using a binary search algorithm; outputting a local oscillator signal from the local oscillator; and applying the local oscillator signal to at least one sensor node of an event-sensitive panel, wherein tuning the local oscillator to the desired frequency comprises: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the local oscillator; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the local oscillator signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first an actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the local oscillator signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the local oscillator signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the local oscillator signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the local oscillator signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the local oscillator signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the local oscillator signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the local oscillator signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the local oscillator signal to the input of at least one sensor node of the event-sensitive device.

 

Patent Claim 13: An event sensor device comprising: a local oscillator circuit configured to generate an oscillating signal having a frequency at least partially based on an incoming control signal; a reference signal generator configured to generate a reference signal; and calibration logic circuitry configured to compare the frequency of the oscillating signal with the frequency of the reference signal and configured to use a binary search algorithm to tune the local oscillator circuit such that the oscillating signal of the local oscillator circuit has a desired frequency, wherein the calibration logic circuitry is configured to tune the local oscillator circuit to the desired frequency by: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the local oscillator circuit; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the oscillating signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the oscillating signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the oscillating signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the oscillating signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the oscillating signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the oscillating signal to at least one sensor node of the event sensor device.

 

Patent Claim 23: A circuit for generating an oscillating signal comprising: oscillator generation means for generating an oscillating signal; calibration means for calibrating the oscillator generation means to a desired frequency; and event sensitive means, receiving as an input thereto the oscillating signal having the desired frequency, for sensing a plurality of events occurring simultaneously or nearly simultaneously on an event-sensing panel, wherein the calibration means uses a binary search algorithm to calibrate the oscillator generation means to the desired frequency by: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the oscillator generation means; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the oscillating signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the oscillating signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the oscillating signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the oscillating signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the oscillating signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the oscillating signal to at least one sensor node of the event sensitive means.

 

Patent Claim 27: An electronic device comprising: an event sensitive panel configured to receive an oscillating signal and generate an output signal based on the received oscillating signal; an oscillating circuit configured to generate the oscillating signal; and a calibration controller configured to modify a frequency of the oscillating signal by controlling the oscillating circuit, wherein the controller is further configured to use a binary search algorithm to modify the oscillating circuit so that the oscillating signal is at or near a desired frequency, the controller operative for: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the oscillating circuit; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the oscillating signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the oscillating signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the oscillating signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the oscillating signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the oscillating signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the oscillating signal to at least one sensor node of the event-sensitive panel.

 

Patent Claim 38: A mobile telephone comprising: an event sensitive panel configured to receive an oscillating signal and generate an output signal based on the received oscillating signal; an oscillating circuit configured to generate the oscillating signal; and a calibration controller configured to control the frequency of the oscillating signal by controlling the oscillating circuit, wherein the calibration controller is further configured to use a binary search algorithm to tune the oscillating circuit so that the oscillating signal is at or near a desired frequency, the controller operative for: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the oscillating circuit; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the oscillating signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the oscillating signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the oscillating signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the oscillating signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the oscillating signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the oscillating signal to at least one sensor node of the event sensitive panel.

 

Patent Claim 42: A portable audio player comprising: an event sensitive panel configured to receive an oscillating signal and generate an output signal based on the received oscillating signal; an oscillating circuit configured to generate the oscillating signal; and a calibration controller configured to control the frequency of the oscillating signal by controlling the oscillating circuit, wherein the calibration controller is further configured to use a binary search algorithm to tune the oscillating circuit so that the oscillating signal is at or near a desired frequency, the controller operative for: determining a desired clock count corresponding to the desired frequency of the oscillating circuit; setting a first tune bit value to a first median value within a first range of tune bit values having a first minimum value and a first maximum value; adjusting a first frequency of the oscillating signal according to the first tune bit value; counting a first actual clock count corresponding to the first frequency of the oscillating signal; comparing the first actual clock count with the desired clock count to determine whether the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater or less than the desired frequency; setting a second tune bit value to a second median value within a second range of tune bit values having a second minimum value equal to the first minimum value within the first range of tune bit values and a second maximum value equal to the first median value if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is greater than the desired frequency; setting the second tune bit value to the second median value within the second range of tune bit values having the second minimum value equal to the first median value and the second maximum value equal to the first maximum value within the first range of tune bit values if the first frequency of the oscillating signal is less than the desired frequency; adjusting a second frequency of the oscillating signal according to the second tune bit value; counting a second actual clock count corresponding to the second frequency of the oscillating signal; selecting the first or second frequency of the oscillating signal that is closest to the desired frequency by selecting the first or second actual clock count that is closest to the desired clock count; and applying the selected first or second frequency of the oscillating signal to at least one sensor node of the event sensitive panel.

 

Apple credits Thomas Wilson as the sole inventor of this patent which was originally filed in January 2007 just prior to Steve Jobs Keynote giving the world a peek at the coming iPhone.

 

Photo Classic: Steve Jobs Introducing the iPhone in 2007

 

CLASSIC - Macworld 2007 video Keynote clip photos, 2011 report +

Notice: Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.

 

TZ - STEVE JOBS - Think Different Forevermore

 

IP News Tidbit:  Taiwan's IP Office is hiring 170 new patent examiners to help handle the massive back load of patents. Yes, the more the merrier I say (ha!).  

 


Here are a Few Sites covering this Original Report: MacSurfer, Twitter, Facebook, Apple Investor News, Google Reader and Google News US and UK, Macnews, iPhone World Canada, Tom's Hardware Italy, MarketWatch, Technik Blicke Germany, StockTwits, MacDailyNews, AppleInsider, The MacObserver, Foss Patents Twitter, Macerkopf Germany, iGeneration France, Android and Me, Pocketnow, O'Grady's PowerPageSlashGear, TUAW, ModMyi, Techmeme, and more.

 

 

Comments

@ Jo

You stated that "I am not saying that the patent is not about Multitouch, just that it does not protect the multitouch concept in general as this was already "published" before (notably by Microsoft via Surface) and therefore unpatentable in 2007."

Wrong! Checkout Wikipedia on FingerWorks, a company Apple acquired who had multitouch patents going back to 1998. These engineers moved to Apple and had patents prior to Microsoft's Surface. So you're making a false and misleading claim.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FingerWorks

@MonkeyMoe

I am not saying that the patent is not about Multitouch, just that it does not protect the multitouch concept in general as this was already "published" before (notably by Microsoft via Surface) and therefore unpatentable in 2007.

As I said, this patent protects a specific implementation of a specific technique that is used in multitouch screens, i.e. a specific way of detecting a signal in a capacitive screen (based on a binary search algotrithm to quickly find a frequency).

@ Jo.

Read the patent background. It's all about the lack of multitouch and the patent is about remedying that. Secondly, in the patent claims, the wording of it is tricky. They use terms such as "a first tune bit" and a "Second tune bit." Alternatively it points out "the first frequency" and "the second frequency" which is referring to a first and second touch, correctly and technically identified as both tune-bits and frequencies. So you're not getting the verbiage you seek: Multitouch. But that's what the patent is about for sure

@france

So which one of these researchers brought their product to market in a usable form factor?

How come other companies didn't have their own multi-touch products until AFTER Apple released the iPhone? The first gen Android phone didn't even have multi-touch, as it took Google almost 2 years to copy Apple's real 2007 multi-touch product.

Look at it another way. How come very few of the "concept" cars ever make it to the market? Because concept =/= implementation that makes sense financially and is easy to use.

This particular patent is just about a "specific detail" of a possible implementation (maybe very efficient) of one of the aspects of multitouch (just the sensing part) and not about the multitouch concept in general.

@ France.

Apple purchased FingerWorks in early 2005 which predates your example (see the link below). FingerWorks was first with Multitouch and that dated back to 1998. Apple bought the patents and the engineers came to Apple to work on the iPhone. The rest is history. Apple was first to bring multitouch to a smartphone, media player and tablet and yes that's protected by IP weather you like it or not Frenchy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FingerWorks

It is absolutely ridicolous to believe that Apple invented Multitouch. This was devoloped and shown years before the iPhone appeared by universites like NYU and Jeff Han.

With all of these patents, Apple will prosecute Android's manufacturers. Google doesn't care if Android breaks the law and causes its Android partners to be prosecuted for violating Apple's patents. It is Apple's duty to protect its IP. Otherwise, the IP can be nullified.

Once you patent something, you HAVE to sue.

@ Apple Shareholder.

I don't think that all of the 200 + patents are granted yet. We've been seeing them roll out over the years but there's likely another hundred or more in the pipeline. It's only going to get better for Apple over time. Give it time and Apple will make it even harder for copycats. On the other hand, some are licensing Apple's IP (like Nokia and IBM and likely more). So Apple is doing what they said and as long as the competition implements work arounds, they'll be free to compete. And that's good. Just don't take Apple's IP. It's pretty simple.

Payback time... 8-)

``The office will offer a monthly salary of NT$51,000 (US$1,683) for successful applicants with a master's degree or a bachelor's degree with two years of related experience in various fields, including medicine, physics, mechanical, electronic, information and chemical engineering. ''

You won't get a high level of competence on that salary option.

With all of these patents, how can Android and all of the copycat systems exist and not be prosecuted?

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