Apple的觸控專利

Apple的iPhone上後，手機市場掀起了觸控式手機的風潮，各大廠紛紛推出電容式觸控式螢幕的手機。
USPTO於2011.6.21.公布了Apple的觸控式螢幕專利，包含了多點觸控、螢幕解鎖等。US7,966,578是使用一指或多指與觸控螢幕互動，系統會對該手勢有所回應，且包括使用手指操作瀏覽器時，使用者可以縮小或放大網頁嵌入的程式，如地圖，卻不影響整個網頁頁面比例等。Apple還有一個較早的專利，US7,657,849是手指滑過螢幕解鎖的技術。

US7,966,578
Title : Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for translating displayed content
Filing Date : 2007.12.19.
Issue Date : 2011.6.21.
Abstract :
A computer-implemented method, for use in conjunction with a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, comprises displaying a portion of page content, including a frame displaying a portion of frame content and also including other content of the page, on the touch screen display. An N-finger translation gesture is detected on or near the touch screen display. In response, the page content, including the displayed portion of the frame content and the other content of the page, is translated to display a new portion of page content on the touch screen display. An M-finger translation gesture is detected on or near the touch screen display, where M is a different number than N. In response, the frame content is translated to display a new portion of frame content on the touch screen display, without translating the other content of the page.

US7,657,849
Title : Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image
Filing Date : 2005.12.23.
Issue Date : 2010.2.2.
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.

Smart的看法
智慧型手機已是目前各大廠的兵家必爭之地，訴訟也不斷，這個專利影響到的廠商，除了目前使用電容式的觸控螢幕手機的公司包括：HTC、Samsung、RIM、Nokia...外，生產觸控式螢幕的公司，如辰鴻...等，可能也是另一波的潛在受害者，未來在產業中會不會掀起另一個專利大戰，值得注意。