“On March 25, the US Patent & Trademark Office published four of Apple’s newly granted patents respectfully titled ‘Split Edits,’ ‘Spacing for microphone elements,’ ‘Computer controlled display device,’ and ‘Touch pad for handheld device,'” Neo reports for MacNN.
“The latter two patents cover Apple’s iPod Click Wheel and a flex arm mechanism which had been implemented in-part within an earlier iteration of the iMac,” Neo reports.
More info and patent app illustrations here.
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Click wheel?!?! What about patents on our fingers for the touch.
what’s the point now?
I want original P.A.F. click wheels on my iPods.
Just my $0.02
Thank God they were granted. Just in time too.
It’s cool that Apple presses forward so rapidly that by the time their patents are actually granted they are almost obsolete.
God luck to all who try to compete by chasing or copying. The only way to compete with Apple is to innovate, something that seems in short supply in many companies these days.
@MacDept and so?
This is how long it takes to get a patent. However, now no one can infringe upon Apple’s click wheel technology, which is still in use in the iPod nano and Shuffle models, as well as iPod Classic.
I’m sure the patents for the multi-touch are in the USPTO’s process; however, don’t expect them to be issued anytime soon (depends upon when Apple filed them).
These things take years to approve, and often they are sent back to the filer for clarification, explanation, or other amendments.
“These things take years to approve, and often they are sent back to the filer for clarification, explanation, or other amendments.”
and even after that, the vast majority of the time, the patent office still manages to screw it up and give someone a patent that will allow them to sue everyone who ever created anything.
……America! what a country!
And American industry would be in a lot better place today if China didn’t reverse-engineer our patents and disregard international copyrights…
and if we didn’t have $50 trillion in liabilities.
Apple’s handheld touch sensitive input device patent application:
The U.S. patent application, numbered 20060197750, was originally filed on April 26, 2005. The application states “touch sensing devices may for example be selected from touch panels, touch screens or touch sensitive housings.”
I wish the iPhone/iPod Touch screen had a “virtual” click wheel on the screen. I miss the blazing speed that I could navigate with the old school iPod’s scroll wheel. No matter how much I’ve tried to get used to it, I don’t really like the way the iTunes interface is implemented on the iPhone – in my opinion it is not as intuitive as the old methods of navigating through the music collection.
@shen and @anaknipedro
Obviously neither of you have filed patents. If you think filing in the US is a beotch, try some of the third world countries you HAVE to file in to protect yourself. And since China is now a signatory of the Madrid Accord with the WIPO (which involves global recognition of single filings at Brussels.), China is not as blatant in there copying. And they can get there a$$ in a sling with the world courts when they do. And in the China, if you are caught infringing, the penalty is pretty harsh. Death! I guess M$ won’t be coming out with the bPhone (Ballmer) too soon.
Cheers.
I agree…what is the point now, unless it is a virtual click wheel that is touch screen happy.
Just wondering, isn’t the technology the same as those scroll bars other PMPs’ have. Is the protection granted on the circular nature of the click wheel?
Wow, just in time for Apple to discontinue those products.
Apple innovates faster than the government can process the patents.
The click wheel isn’t going away. I think Apple will have a music-only device that uses it for a long time. It would also be useful as a remote control interface. And Apple can license it to other companies for devices that don’t compete with Apple’s products.
A lithe tech firm moves faster than a government agency.
Who’d have thought.
Appe can be beat! One only needs a time machine – uncapitalized.
Is it me, or is Apple filing for many more patents today, than in years past? Or is it that the tea readers out there, have latched on to that information to guess what might come down the road?
bizlaw doesn’t know anything about the law. I’m with MacDept…patent the finger!
so a click wheel for a device that is no longer used
a modified arm for a mac thats no longer made
and a dual editing interface that makes NO SENCE WHATSOEVER
I am confused
maybe just to prevent potential lawsuits?? or they filed a long time ago, and are just now being approved?