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Slide to unlock??? | 197 comments | Create New Account
Comments belong to whoever posts them. Please notify us of inappropriate comments.
Obsolete rubbish,
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 12:37 AM EST
and insecure as well. Here. try this howdy-doody button

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

Speaking of rounded corners....
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 03:53 AM EST
Maybe I'm naive, maybe I don't understand the subtleties of the patent (I'm well
aware I'm triggering off the shorthand name for the patent, not the detail,
which is where all the patentable matter lies), but it seems to me that slide
locks have been around in physical form for over a century. I'm fairly sure I've
seen desks and boxes from Victorian times that had elegant brass opening
mechanisms operated that way. I don't see where the patentable creativity lies
in replicating in virtual form a familiar mechanism and interaction that has
been around for generations. Novelty of application, sure. Creativity, no.

(Indeed, it seems to me that, the closer the technology comes to making virtual
objects "real" to the user, the more likely it ought to become that
the patent offices (or courts when it gets that far) ought to be looking to
"real-world" parallels when considering for prior art. Just because
something is now implemented via, ultimately, a pattern of numbers in computer
memory, rather than a few chunks of metal, shouldn't invalidate someone's prior
claim.)

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

note the word
Authored by: designerfx on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 07:53 AM EST
the word here is "design patent"

That's what makes this hilarious. They have a design
patent........on a functional item.

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

Slide to unlock???
Authored by: JamesK on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 08:19 AM EST
There have been physical momentary action slide to operate electrical switches
for many, many years (there's one on my Garmin GPS). Is this one of those
"on a computer" inventions that's somehow new because it was done on a
computer, despite years or decades of prior art with other technologies?


---
The following program contains immature subject matter.
Viewer discretion is advised.

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

  • Slide to unlock??? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 11:42 AM EST
    • Slide to unlock??? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 09:50 PM EST
Speaking of rounded corners....
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 06 2013 @ 08:21 AM EST
I heard that the USPTO sent out a bunch of flyers to all the
mobile industry execs that said:

"You are pre-approved! Just mention the word 'mobile'. As
long as your patent application mentions 'mobile' the patent
will be automatically granted regardless of what it is for.
For a block of wood? GRANTED! Any old idea? GRANTED!
Something that already exists? GRANTED! No application
will be refused! Hurry and act soon! This offer could be
withdrawn at any time. Offer not valid in AK, HI, or PR.
Other limitations by local jurisdictions may apply."

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

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