Apple Granted Patent for Multi-Touch Gesturing and Manipulating User Interface Objects

Apple has been granted a major patent today for their invention that generally relates to electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces, and more particularly, to electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces that use two or more simultaneous user inputs to manipulate user interface objects.

While the exemplary example devices include the iPhone and iPod touch it is clear that it applies to the newer trackpads found on Apple's MacBook Pro/Air product lines.

In one example, Apple describes how their contact/motion module detects a gesture input by a user. Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have different contact patterns. Therefore a gesture may be detected by detecting a particular contact pattern. For example, detecting a finger tap gesture includes detecting a finger-down event followed by detecting a finger-up event at the same position (or substantially the same position) as the finger-down event (e.g., at the position of an icon).

In another example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on the touch-sensitive surface includes detecting a finger-down event followed by detecting one or more finger-dragging events, and subsequently followed by detecting a finger-up event.

Apple credits Michael Victor as the sole inventor of this granted patent which was originally filed in Q3 2009 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. This is a major patent that covers 67 patent claims and well over 100 patent figures. To review today's granted patent claims and details, see US Number 8,456,431. A secondary patent on this subject matter was granted under number 8,458,617 which carries an additional 16 patent claims.

Apple Granted Patent for Configurable Buttons on Wearable Media Players

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to electronic devices, and more particularly, to buttons whose behavior may be modified in real time based on sensor readings.

Apple's granted patent covers a configurable button that may have a button member that moves relative to a device housing when it is desired to activate a switch. The button may have an associated touch sensor. The touch sensor may detect when a user's finger touches a particular portion of the button member. Contact with only this portion of the button member is generally inadvertent, so an actuator may be used to prevent or otherwise restrict motion of the button relative to a device housing. This prevents inadvertent activation of the button when a user is manipulating portions of an electronic device such as clip or lid, but does not intend to depress the button.

Unlike today's iPod Shuffle with a scroll-wheel-like interface, Apple's patent FIG. 14 shown below illustrates an all-new design that has yet to surface that includes a tiny multitouch display/Button as illustrated below:

Apple credits John Filson, Stephen Lynch, Emery Sanford and Jan Moolsintong as the inventors of this granted patent which was originally filed in Q3 2008 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's 12 granted patent claims and details, see US Number 8,456,330.

Apple Granted Patent for Simplified Wireless Data Transfers

Apple has been granted a patent today for their invention relating to transferring information between electronic devices and, more particularly, to transferring information via one or more electronic devices in a simplified manner using NFC. Transferring the data may take place using a peer-to-peer connection other than via NFC. The latter is important to note because Apple's VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller has downplayed NFC's significance.

The technology described is to allow the transfer of data quickly between devices like an iMac to an iPod by simply tapping the devices together. The technology applies to a wide range of in-home devices such as Apple-TV, game consoles and beyond.

Patently Apple covered Apple's original 2009 patent filing describing this simplified data transfer application which Apple designated as "Grab & Go" way before there was ever an S Beam feature by Samsung. Apple also described the tapping of devices for data transfer in their 2010 iWallet patent application.

Apple credits Michael Rosenblatt, Gloria Lin, Amir Mikhak, Taido Nakajima, Sean Mayo, Andrew Hodge and Anthony Fadell as the inventors of this granted patent which was originally filed in Q3 2008 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's 14 granted patent claims and details, see US Number 8,458,363.

Apple Granted Patent for Keyframe Editing in iMovie

Apple's granted patent generally relates to a simplified way of performing keyframe editing in iMovie. This includes the ability to affect multiple keyframes for multiple attributes to avoid repetitive editing to achieve the same results for multiple attributes. The patented method allows its user to perform simple to complex keyframe editing with minimal drawing skills and without having to understand how control points and Bezier handles work.

Apple credits Tom Langmacher and Samuel Liberto III as the inventors of granted patent 8,458,593 which was originally filed in Q3 2009 and published today by USPTO.

Apple Granted Two Design Patents Today

Apple was granted two design patents today covering the original iPad with iBook UI and Digital AV Adapter (30 pin). The iPad with iBook UI design patent D683,730 which was originally filed for in Q3 2010 lists the late CEO Steve Jobs as one of the designers.

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.