Apple Awarded Patents for Slide to Unlock and Popping Keyboard

Today, Apple was awarded with patents for the Slide to Unlock and the pop out keyboard character features of its iPhone, according to TUAW.

Three years ago, Apple filed for patents on two features that iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users see every day -- the Slide to Unlock feature of the Lock screen and the pop-up letters that appear when you're typing on the iPhone keyboard. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has today awarded Apple a series of two patents titled "Animated graphical user interface for a display screen or portion thereof " that provide Apple with patent protection for the animated unlock screen and keyboard.

The patents are numbered D621849 and D621848.