Apple Granted a New Key iOS Patent for Methods and Graphical User Interfaces for Editing on a Portable Multifunction Device

Every new iOS patent win for Apple is a potential bombshell against their competition. Today's win is no exception. Apple has been granted another important iOS patent relating to users conducting edits on portable multifunction devices (e.g., cutting, copying, or pasting user-selected content).

The patent further relates to methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display. While displaying an application interface of an application, the device detects a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display. In response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, the device displays a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture. The device also displays a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface.

Apple's patent FIG. 5K is one of plethora of illustrations relating to editing modes in an email application and a web browser – though these modes could be used in many other applications as well. The email and web browser applications are merely illustrative embodiments. Noteworthy is that Apple had snuck in their "Slide to Unlock" feature into this patent as well. This particular feature has been a bone of contention with competitors and the courts. In a recent ruling, Judge Richard Posner slapped down Apple's Slide to Unlock feature.

Apple Wins a Patent for the Magic Mouse's 3D curved substrate lamination

Apple has received a very interesting Granted Patent today which relates to a 3D curved substrate lamination and process used in the creation of the Magic Mouse. In total, there are close to 50 graphics associated with the lamination process that mates with the sensors that creates the final Magic Mouse.

Apple's patent FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary curved surface for a sensor array. A typical flex circuit sensor array applied to the inside of this surface may tend to wrinkle, buckle, or snap.

Apple's patent FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary "butterfly" pattern for a sensor array. This pattern can be formed using a flat array and applied to a curved surface without wrinkling; FIG. 4C illustrates an exemplary two strip sensor array pattern.

Apple's patent FIG. 4D illustrates an exemplary three strip sensor array pattern. Both patterns shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D can also be formed from a flat array and applied to a curved surface; FIG. 4E illustrates an exemplary flat sensor pattern in a "snail" pattern that can be applied to a curved surface.

The above-described curved or three-dimensional shaped sensor patterns in FIGS. 4A-4E may be placed under or over a curved substrate, for example, a glass or plastic cover. These sensors patterns can be used in a variety of multi-touch devices, for example a multi-touch mouse.

Apple's patent FIG. 15 illustrates the operation of an upper holder of another exemplary lamination system according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 15 also shows a flexible material 1503 held at one end by grippers 1505. The flexible material may include detachable tabs (not shown) to be held by the grippers in some embodiments. During a lamination operation, upper holder 1501 rolls across a non-lamination surface 1509 of the flexible material to press the flexible material and a multi-axis curved substrate together. As upper holder rolls across flexible material, the upper holder deforms to conform to the shape of the substrate. During the lamination process, the grippers may, for example, hold a fixed portion of the flexible material, such as an edge portion or the detachable tabs. In another embodiment, the grippers may slide along the surface of flexible material while providing enough resistance to reduce slack in the unattached portion of the flexible material.

Apple's patent FIGS. 24A-C show the alignment holes 2401 in the flexible material 2301 that allow for visual alignment of the flexible material using fiducials on the substrate 2303. Patent FIGS. 24A and 24B show two different full views of the flexible material.

To review Apple's 17 patent claims, see granted patent 8,196,636 Apple credits Kuo Sung, Troy Edwards, Casey Feinstein, John Zhong, Steve Hotelling and Andrew Lauder as the inventors of this patent which was filed in Q3 2010. The history of the patent dates back to 2008. The Magic Mouse debuted in October 2009.

Apple is Granted Patent Regarding Long Term Evolution (LTE)

Apple has received a Granted Patent relating to wireless communication systems. In particular, Apple's granted patent relates to a method and apparatus for performing a handover between a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network and a second generation (2G)/third generation (3G) radio access network.

Apple credits Mukesh Taneja of India as the sole inventor of patent 8,199,719 which was originally filed in Q1 2009 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The patent lists twenty patent claims. Apple introduced their iPad with LTE in March of this year.

Apple is Granted Patent for MacBook Pro Clutch Barrel Assembly

Just as Apple ushers in the next generation MacBook Pro, they're granted a patent for the previous generation MacBook Pro. The patent covers the MacBook Pro's single seamless housing that includes a clutch barrel assembly providing support for its lid. The clutch barrel is configured such that a junction formed by the clutch barrel and a top layer of the lid is not visible to a user when the computer housing is on a horizontal surface.

Apple's patent FIG. 15 noted above is a cross section view of the MacBook Pro's clutch barrel assembly.

Apple credits John Raff, Bartley Andre, Laura DeForest, John DiFonzo, Zheng Gao, Michelle Goldberg, Bradley Hamel, Timothy Hibbard, Ron Hopkinson, William Leggett, Chris Ligtenberg, Gavin Reid and Charles Schwalbach as the inventors of granted patent 8,199,468. Apple was granted another MacBook Pro related patent today titled "Portable computers with spring-mounted displays."

Apple Gains Three Industrial Design Wins

Apple has been granted three industrial design patents today covering their MacBook Air, Power Adapter and iPad display module which lists the late CEO Steve Jobs as one of the inventors.

Apple credits the late CEO Steve Jobs, VP Industrial Design Jonathan Ive and team members Jody Akana, Bartley Andre, Joshua Banko, Daniel Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard Howarth, Duncan Kerr, Steven McClure, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas Satzger, Christopher Stringer, John Ternus, Eugene Whang and Rico Zorkendorfer as the inventors of Granted Patent D661,707 originally filed in Q3 2010.

Final Patent Round-Up

Over and above the granted patents that were specifically reported on today, we present you with links to all of the other granted patents in our Final Patent Round-Up as follows:

8,201,229 User authorization system and methods

8,201,214 Ad-hoc user account creation

8,201,102 Opaque views for graphical user interfaces

8,201,096 Browsing or searching user interfaces and other aspects

8,200,986 Computer enabled secure status return

8,200,881 Communication between a host device and an accessory via an intermediate device

8,200,761 Method and apparatus for improving security in a data processing system

8,200,727 Method and apparatus for verifying and diversifying randomness

8,200,629 Image scaling arrangement

8,200,251 Determining a location of a mobile device using a location database

8,200,007 Illuminant estimation

8,199,846 Generalized reference signaling scheme for multi-user, multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) using arbitrarily precoded reference signals

8,199,469 Battery

8,199,249 Image capture using display device as light source

8,198,525 Collectively adjusting tracks using a digital audio workstation

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.

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