Apple Granted Patent for Deletion Gestures on a Portable Multifunction Device

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention that generally relates to deletion gestures on portable electronic devices with touch screen displays, and more particularly, to processes for deleting listed items that involve multiple gestures by a user on different parts of the touch screen.

In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with the portable multifunction device comprises displaying a list of items on the touch-sensitive display, detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive display to edit the list of items, responding to the first gesture by displaying a first icon next to each deletable item in the list, detecting a second gesture on the touch-sensitive display to select one of the deletable items, and responding to the second gesture by displaying a second icon next to the selected item.

If a third gesture on the second icon is detected, the selected deletable item is deleted. If a fourth gesture on the first icon next to the selected deletable item is detected, the second icon is deleted.

Apple credits Scott Forstall, Greg Christie, Stephen Lemay, Bas Ording and Marcel Van Os as the inventors of this granted patent 8,504,947 which was filed in Q2 2011, though was originally granted in 2007.

Apple Granted Patent for Expose

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to Expose, a feature invented in-part by the late Steve Jobs. The video presented below shows Steve Jobs introducing this one-time OS X feature back in 2010.  

Expose is a feature that many Macites loved and they complained bitterly when it was removed. Expose was described in Apple's patent as a computer-human interface which manages the available space of a computer display in a manner which reduces clutter and confusion caused by multiple open windows. The interface includes a user-selectable mode of operation in which only those windows associated with the currently active task are displayed on the computer monitor. All other windows relating to non-active tasks are minimized by reducing them in size or replacing them with a representative symbol, such as an icon, so that they occupy a minimal amount of space on the monitor's screen.

When a user switches from the current task to a new task, by selecting a minimized window, the windows associated with the current task are automatically minimized as the window pertaining to the new task is displayed at its normal size. As a result, the user is only presented with the window that relates to the current task of interest, and clutter provided by non-active tasks is removed.

Apple credits the late CEO Steve Jobs and Donald Lindsay as the inventors of granted patent 8,504,937 which was originally filed in Q1 2005 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's 36 granted patent claims and details, see Apple's patent.

Apple Granted Patent for Projector Built into a MacBook, iPhone or iPad

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to light display systems such as projectors. The projectors could be manufactured having lower power consumption, reduced speckling, and/or that are less expensive than conventional light projectors.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 noted below illustrates a projector (patent point #105) integrated into a MacBook. Apple further notes that projectors could one day be built into other portables such as an iPhone or iPad. 

Apple credits Brett Bilbrey as the sole inventor of granted patent 8,502,926 which was originally filed in Q3 2009 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's granted patent with 8 claims and details, see Apple's patent.

Apple was also granted another camera related patent today relating to "Directing camera behavior in 3-D imaging system" under patent number 8,502,817. We originally covered Apple's first granted patent on this subject matter back in January 2012.

Apple Granted another Patent for Integrated Touch Display

Apple was granted their first integrated-touch display patent back in August 2011 prior to Phil Schiller introducing it for the first time as part of the iPhone 5. Apple was granted a second patent on this technology in March 2013 and today they've been granted their third patent on integrated touch displays.

Apple Granted a Patent for the Magic Mouse

Apple was previously granted design patents for the Magic Mouse back in December 2011 and again in March 2013. Apple's third granted patent, which covers 30 patent claims, was granted today.

Apple's patent abstract states that "The generation of gestures tailored to a hand resting on a mouse surface is disclosed. Gestures to be made on the mouse surface can be generated based on the natural pose of a hand resting on the mouse surface so that the gestures are comfortable. Fingers that are appropriately posed on the mouse surface to make a gesture can be identified for that gesture. Alternatively, gestures to be made on the mouse surface can be generated based on a user's preference. The user can identify the fingers that the user wishes to use to make a gesture."

Apple credits Wayne Westerman and Rico Zorkendorfer as the inventors of patent 8,502,785 which was originally filed in Q4 2008. To review Apple's full patent details and legal claims, see Apple's patent.

Apple Granted Five Design Patents Today

Apple was granted five design patents today covering one version of the Siri user interface, a microphone icon, an older design of earphone, a font (not shown) and one for a mystery design shown at the bottom center. If you happen to know what the mystery design relates to, please send us a note in our comment area.

The Remaining Patents that were granted to Apple Today

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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