#patentfun Feb 13 – 17, 2024

#patentfun is my weekly round-up of the lawsuits and legal action that surrounds the Android OS

How quickly another week has slipped past us here.  And another slew of litigation.  Before we step into the fray this week, let’s look at a quick video I saw recently about patents (it’s about 12 minutes, but worth it — somebody from Apple should watch this):

Everything is a Remix Part 4 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Now, on to the cases…

ITC Dismisses HTC‘s case against Apple

This was just HTC’s last chance as they were appealing a decision back in November.  Well they tried.

Google Files for a new Lockscreen Interface

In light of all the recent hullabaloo with Apple crying ‘no fair, you look too similar to my stolen design’ Google has what looks like a new patent for a lockscreen interface which, although uses ‘sliding’ (is that too close Apple?) will hopefully satisfy some of the crazier court systems (looking at you Germany!) that it would be clearly not infringing.

what phone is that?

 Apple wins injunction against Motorola over Slide-to-Unlock in Germany

Wha wha WHA?  Hasn’t this already been discussed and fought over a while back?

Gar, I’ll never understand these Germans.

How do they see these 2 things as the same?  I can only imagine the lambasting that Apple could potentially be in over the leaked look of their unlock screen.  So what does this mean?  Well, hopefully, with Google’s new unlock screen will be enough for Germany to allow it, it just would mean that Motorola will have to take apart their MotoBlur UI for it.  That’s not a bad thing in the end.

Google’s Notification Bar patent… almost there

Back when I got my eyes on the first Android the G1, I was very VERY intrigued with the notification shade.  That was a while back now.  But a patent was filed back then for the recently copied by Apple notification system, and that patent could be very close to being completed… as such, Apple might be in for some wicked backlash-ing.