Patently ridiculous: Google gets patent for multitouch trackpad
0. phoneArena posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:13
We've called out the US Patent and Trademark Office before on patents that it granted to Apple, and so it is our duty to point out when the USPTO grants a ridiculous patent to Google as well. This time, the patent is for...
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1. squallz506 posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:16 18 0
lmao, well done michael. i think you perfectly encapsulated our communal disgust with the USPTO.
2. biophone posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:19 7 0
Great job michael another well written expoilt of the flawed patent system.
3. clevername posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:21 4 9
This is ridiculous. For all the flack apple catches about stupid patents this is googles equivelant.
5. MichaelHeller posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:30 31 2
And, as always, there is someone who completely misses the point.
1) The problem is not that companies are applying for these patents, but that the USPTO grants them.
2) Apple catches flack for getting these patents, then using them to sue others. As yet, Google has not used any patents to sue anyone, only to defend itself and its hardware partners from lawsuits.
8. protozeloz posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:39 2 0
and having their ideas stolen, patented and used against them.....
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4. andro. posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:26 11 2
Its all getting ridiculous now indeed with patents being issued
While Im not quite defending Google for applying for this patent its understandable to see Google or top android manufacturers now have to apply for such patents simply as a pre defense because of the fact that if they dont then apple will no doubt scrutinise and future patent the ideas as 'their invention' with view to sueing for millions or banning all android products to stop competition
6. theBankRobber posted on 22 Feb 2012, 15:32 10 0
I find it ridiculous that this patents was filed in quarter 3, 2011 and was awarded when the patent for androids notification bar was filed in 2009 and still has YET been granted. Its BS to the fullest .
44. JC557 posted on 22 Feb 2012, 22:14 0 0
NeoNode may have a patent on slide to unlock but not sure
They has Twitter!
http://twitter.com/#!/uspto
Flame 'em on!
49. sprockkets posted on 22 Feb 2012, 23:50 3 0
The patent was filed in q3 of 2011 and *published* this month, NOT granted.
Btw, this patent describes basically new methods to map what you do on a touchpad to what it would do on the touchscreen, NOT what the article said about patenting the touchpad in general.
New? Seems to be. Novel? Yes? Done in software? Yes. Should be granted? No.
Better they have it instead of apple.
