Just Prior to iPhone’s Launch, a Wave of iPhone Patents come to light

Just prior to the official debut of Apple’s iPhone today, the US Patent & Trademark Office has published a wave of iPhone related patent applications ranging from unlocking the iPhone to displaying account information to gesturing and more. Each patent is richly detailed. This report provides you with a simple outline of each along with the appropriate hyperlinks to help you further investigate those that interest you most. In addition to the patents, it was also revealed in the last few weeks that Apple has extended their iPhone trademark coverage from 2 to 30 International Classes.

Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image

Apple’s Abstract: A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.

Apple’s patent Figures 5A/B above illustrate the GUI display of a device at various points of the performance of an unlock action gesture. In FIG. 5A, the user, represented by the hand and finger 502 (not drawn to scale), begins the unlock action by touching the touch screen of device with their finger. In some embodiments, the touch screen is initially in sleep mode and/or dark, and the screen displays the unlock image when touched.

In patent Figures 7A-7D below, Apple’s illustrates the GUI display of a device that is transitioning the optical intensity of user-interface objects concurrent with a transition from a first user interface state to a second user interface state, according to some embodiments of the invention.

In FIG. 7B, the user is in the process of dragging the unlock image along the channel in the direction of movement. As the user drags the unlock image, a set of virtual buttons appears and increases in optical intensity. The virtual buttons 708 are shown with dotted outlines to indicate that they are not yet at their final optical intensity levels. The virtual buttons are associated with the prompt; the virtual buttons shown in FIG. 7B-7D allow the user to decline or accept the incoming call. However, the user cannot interact with the virtual buttons until the device is unlocked and the virtual buttons have reached their final optical intensity. In FIG. 7C, the user drags the unlock image further along the channel in the direction of movement. The virtual buttons 708 have increased further in optical intensity relative to their optical intensity in FIG. 7B, as illustrated by their different style of dotted outlines. The increases in optical intensity indicate to the user progress towards completion of the unlock action.

In FIG. 7D, the user completes the unlock action by dragging the unlock image to the right end of the channel 704 and releasing the unlock image. The device 700 transitions to the unlock state. The unlock image and the channel disappear from the display and the virtual buttons are at their final optical intensity levels, as illustrated by their solid outlines. At this point the user may interact with the virtual buttons and accept or decline the incoming call.

For more details on this patent – click here. Also see a related patent application of Apple’s published today titled Indication of progress towards satisfaction of a user input condition.

Scrolling list with floating adjacent index symbols

Apple’s Abstract: Movement of a user’s point of contact with a touch-sensitive display is determined. In response to the movement, a list of information items on the touch-sensitive display is scrolled. The list of information items may include a sequence of information item subsets corresponding to a sequence of index items. While scrolling through respective information subsets, an index symbol is displayed in conjunction with each respective information item subset.

Other patent details state that determining movement of the point of contact may include determining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (including magnitude and/or direction) of the point of contact. Scrolling through the list may be accelerated in response to an accelerated movement of the point of contact. In some embodiments, the scrolling and acceleration of the scrolling may be in accordance with a simulation of a physical device having friction, i.e., damped motion. For example, the scrolling may correspond to a simulation of a force law or equation of motion having a mass or inertial term, as well as a dissipative term. In some embodiments, the simulation may correspond to a cylinder rotating about its axis.

In some embodiments, accelerated movement of the point of contact may include an accelerated movement of the point of contact followed by a breaking of the point of contact. For example, the user may make contact with the touch-sensitive display, swipe or sweep one or more of his or her fingers along the display (i.e., move and/or accelerate the point of contact), and optionally, break the point of contact with the display, i.e., move the one or more fingers away from the display. The swipe or sweep may be along a predefined axis of the touch-sensitive display. In other embodiments, the accelerated movement of the point of contact may include a first user gesture oriented along a predefined axis of the touch-sensitive display.

For more information on Scrolling list with floating adjacent index symbols, click here. Another related Apple patent application published today to review is titled Continuous scrolling list with acceleration.

Soft key interaction indicator

Apple’s Abstract: An indication of interaction with a touch-sensitive display is provided. A soft key is displayed on the touch-sensitive display. Contact with the touch-sensitive display corresponding to interaction with the soft key is detected. The periphery of the soft key smoothly changes in optical intensity in response to detecting the contact.

Apple’s patent figure 2 illustrates a touch screen displaying one or more soft keys, according to some embodiments of the invention. In FIG. 2, device includes a touch screen. On the touch screen, the device may display one or more user-interface objects. The user-interface objects are objects, displayed on the touch screen, corresponding to the user interface of the device. The user-interface objects include non-interactive objects that may convey information and/or contribute to the look and feel of the user interface, and interactive objects that convey information, contribute to the look and feel of the user interface, and/or activate or deactivate a device function upon interaction with the user. The user interacts with the interactive user-interface objects by making, moving, and/or releasing (i.e., breaking) contact with the touch screen at locations on the touch screen corresponding to the areas of the objects with which he or she wishes to interact. Examples of user-interface objects include, without limitation, soft keys (also called “soft buttons” or “virtual buttons”), pull-down menus, scroll bars, icons, radio buttons, check boxes, text boxes, cursors, and so forth. In FIG. 2, a text box 208 and one or more soft keys 204 are displayed on the touch screen 202.

For more information on Soft key interaction indicator, click here.

Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable Electronic Devices

Apple’s Abstract: A theft prevention system for protecting portable electronic devices is disclosed. An acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of a portable electronic device, and a controller analyzes this acceleration to determine whether a theft condition is present. If so, an alarm can be initiated. The theft prevention system can include a filter for attenuating irrelevant acceleration frequencies and isolating those representative of theft, and comparison hardware/software for determining whether the detected acceleration matches a known acceleration profile characteristic of theft. Various parameters of the theft prevention system can also be set by a user through mechanisms such as a graphical user interface.

Apple’s patent figure 3 above illustrates an exemplary controller 115 for detecting theft using a software configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

For more information on Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable Electronic Devices, click here.

Account information display for portable communication device

Apple’s Abstract: A portable communication device includes a display and a processor coupled to the display. The processor is configured to automatically and repeatedly present an updated account usage metric for an account associated with usage of the portable communication device. In some embodiments, the presented account usage metric is an account balance associated with usage of the portable communication device, and the processor automatically and repeatedly presents an updated account balance on the display.

Apple’s patent figures 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are illustrations of other embodiments of meters for displaying multiple account balances. FIG. 2A shows a horizontal bar meter 200, having a single horizontal bar 202 that is partially filled 204 to show how much of an account budget has been consumed and how much remains as the account balance. The horizontal bar meter 200 may be rectangular, or may have rounded edges, or may have other shape variations and/or embellishments. In some embodiments, the meter 200 includes text 206 indicating the account type or budget. The meter may optionally include text that indicates an account balance. The graphically displayed meter state, and the optional associated text (account budget 206 and/or account balance 208) may reflect an account balance (or usage amount) for a single type of resource (e.g., voice transmission minutes), or the meter and optional text may reflect an account balance (or usage amount) for two or more resources for which a combined balance or usage metric has been established. Multi-resource accounts and metrics are discussed above. FIG. 2B shows another horizontal bar meter having a single horizontal bar, as well graphics and/or text for representing the amount by which an account budget has been exceeded.

FIG. 2C shows a digital type meter that includes one or more horizontal bars 222, 224, representing account balances. For example, the top bar 222 can display an account balance for voice services, such as the amount of monthly minutes remaining in a voice services account. The lower bar 224 can display an account balance for data services, such as the amount of monthly storage capacity remaining in a data services account. In some embodiments, the bars can be combined into a single bar displaying a universal unit for both services similar to the meter shown in FIG. 1, or the meter shown in FIG. 2A. In some embodiments, the actual value of the account in appropriate units is displayed proximate to the bars to provide further account information.

Another type of graphical object 240 is shown in FIG. 2D. The graphical object 240 in FIG. 2D replaces the bars 222, 224, in FIG. 2C with an array of segments that change color or fill pattern to show the remaining account balance or usage rate. For example, as the segments enter various balance or usage ranges, they can change colors from, for example, green to yellow to red. The segments can be any geometric shape, such as circles, squares, rectangles and the like.

Apple’s patent Figure 3 is a an illustration of one embodiment of the user interface 102 that includes a pull-down menu 300 containing account-related options. In some embodiments, the user can tap on the display surface 102 at or near the object 108, or on a designated hot spot or button to invoke the pull-down menu 300. The menu 300 can include several actions that can be selected by the user via touch input, including but not limited to changing a billing plan, increasing budget for a service account, and computing and/or displaying a detailed usage analyses. Each of these actions can result in a submenu 302 being presented to the user. For example, the usage analyses option might invoke a submenu 302 including options for voice services and data services.

The menus 300, 302 can include all the attributes typically associated with pull-down menus, such as “stickiness” and “highlighting.” The menus 300, 302 can be part of a menu hierarchy having multiple layers depending upon the number and types of actions.

In some embodiments, the requested actions can be performed in the device 100. In other embodiments, the requested actions are fulfilled by a server computer on a network (e.g., a server on a wireless network). The server can be any device capable of connecting with the device 100 through a network and providing a service or data to the device 100. In some embodiments, other actions may result in a telephone call being initiated. For example, if a user selects a Change Calling Plan option then the device 100 can connect the user to a customer service representative who can then change the user’s calling plan.

For more information on Account information display for portable communication device, click here.

Apple Wins NC Related Patent this Week

This past Tuesday, Apple was granted an NC (Network Computer) related patent which dated all the way back to 1999. The NC has been a long standing project at Apple and its granted status this week prior to the iPhone’s debut is most appropriate. The cell phone NC was noted in Apple’s patent in the same paragraph as an Apple-TV-like device as follows:

Similarly, a Web TV system…may be considered to be a digital processing system of the present invention… Additionally, a portable communication and data processing system, which may employ a cellular telephone and/or paging capabilities, may be considered a digital processing system which may be used with the present invention.

In addition to the consumer side of the NC equation, the patent also delves into implementing the NC into the enterprise. The Macintosh is noted in the patent as being one of the primary NC vehicles. Back in 1997, Larry Ellison revealed an NEC based NC being powered by an NC-OS from Apple and this week’s patent win for Apple sheds some light into the NC in general.

FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram illustrating an exemplary hierarchical directory structure that may be used by an NC server according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The original patent can be viewed in full here.

Apple Updates iPhone Trademark

It was recently revealed in Apple’s latest European trademark application 005673884 for iPhone that they’ve broadened their International Class coverage from 2 to 30. The Classes now include the following: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 45.

To cover each as Apple has presented in their trademark application would take multiple pages to reveal. However, you could check out this site for basic class identification.

NOTICE: MacNN presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

On a Personal Note: In mid May I underwent emergency open-heart surgery which of course will curtail my patent reporting for the next 6-12 months. Yes, life can certainly throw you a curve ball when you least expect it. I’d like to take a moment to extend my gratitude and respect to my surgeon Dr. Burgess for saving my life and to his follow-up team leader Dr. Blitz for which I gave a hard time. Dr. Blitz happened to be a new Apple convert which made for some interesting conversations. My hat is off to all of those professionals at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary that save lives on a daily basis.