US Patent Office Rejects Apple's 'Pinch To Zoom' Patent

POST

MAIL

Posted July 29, 2013 at 3:52pm by iClarified

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reportedly rejected Apple's 'pinch to zoom' patent which plays a central role in the company's patent infringement case against Samsung.

As a result, Samsung Electronics filed a petition in the US District court requesting that all alleged infringement against Apple's pinch to zoom patent be tossed out, citing the USPTO's decision to reject all 21 claims through a final office action. Apple had charged Samsung with violating this patent (along with others) and awarded Apple with $1.05 billion in damages. The jury awarded damages to Apple with regard to all but two products found to infringe the '915 patent, Samsung said in its filing.

Just last December the USPTO analyzed the patent and rejected all 21 claims, but Apple was able to fight that decision, however it does not seem that is was able to hold up for that long.

The patent describes a method by which users can bring their fingers together and separate them to create a zoom in and zoom out effect. Obviously Apple will still try to find ways to appeal the decision so anything is still possible, as it has two months to respond to the decision.

Read More

US Patent Office Rejects Apple's 'Pinch To Zoom' Patent

Follow iClarified

Tarum - July 30, 2013 at 10:53pm

Pinch to zoom should be a standard and cross-platform, almost like typing. Should the key arrangements on a keyboard be patented? If everything is in fact patented, it will actually stop innovation too I believe.

Reply · Like

Simon - July 29, 2013 at 10:49pm

Companies will stop innovating if their inventions are being rejected by the patent office. This is not good. Who wants to invent something and let others use it to get rich.

shar - July 30, 2013 at 1:47pm

more to his point :), "Companies will stop innovating (original inventor of this) if their inventions are being claimed by another company" ;)

xol - July 29, 2013 at 4:57pm

lawlness

PhoneApp - July 29, 2013 at 4:20pm

Oh this is why you need to really know you have it down in more than one way.

Latino Sin Zero - July 29, 2013 at 4:11pm

This is shocking. I remember the words of Steve Jobs when introducing the first iPhone in regards to this: "and boy have we patent it". Seems like its a no win for Apple with product ban and loosing patents in 2013