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Debate has raged, not least in the courts, about whether Apple should really be able to patent a rectangular device with rounded corners. Seems the US Patent and Trademark Office thinks it can, because it just granted a patent which lays claim to the shape of the iPad.
Patent no. D670,286 defines the basic shape of the first iPad, represented by the solid black line in the image below. The dashed lines are there merely for context and don’t contribute to the patent: what’s being protected here is a single, round-cornered rectangle.
Apple holds plenty of other design patents relating to the iPad and iPhone already—covering everything from the home button, the back surface contour, the bezel shape, the side profile, blah, blah, blah—but this one ignores all that, in favour of defining the perimeter of the device.
It’s a ridiculously broad patent, and it will no doubt cause much head scratching within courts and tech companies the world over. In fairness, it should cause some head scratching for everyone: a world in which it’s possible to patent a simple shape seems an odd one indeed.
Of course, this only really matters if Apple ever actually chooses to use the patent in anger against its competitors. It’s not clear it will, because it’s easy to find patents like this invalid in the courts on prior arts grounds. Given Apple’s track record, though, nothing should be ruled out. [USPTO via Ars Technica]
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haha america land of the free, my arse lol
simple answer everyone boycott the american market and let them have the choice of apple or apple, i mean its an all american chinese product lol
I don’t think there is such thing as a “land of the free” no matter how much it might be advertised in some parts of the world.
I believe “Land of the less dominated” is more adequate for more democratic places, still I’d not include USA among those places.
so very true.
On the other hand…
http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/11/07/analysis-apple-got-a-design-patent-on-the-shape-of-the-ipad-and-it-probably-doesnt-matter/
A rather more well-rounded discussion around the implications of the above.
Zing!
What’s the guy in the patent office smoking?!
What if both front and back were rounded? It’s now novel.
I’m waiting for tech companies to start developing gadgets that are trapezoidal by a factor of <1mm just to fuck with Apple.
Bonkers
Do the American authorities not realise that everyone knows their patent system is a cheap excuse for American companies to be monopolistic. or are they now just blatantly taking the piss because they cant think of a cleverer way of hiding it.
They know it’s a broken system. But the fees received from these patents are keeping them in employment. So they aren’t going to bite the hands that feed them.
I dont think its a broken system I think its working exactly as the US politicians and they’re party funding big businesses want it to work.
Apologies I meant “their” my Apple patented spell checker is being a cock !
So chopping board manufacturers will now have to pay royalties to Apple.
Who exactly regulates the US patent office? I have no idea – I’d assume some branch of government, but it would appear to be the board of executives for Apple…
wow just wow, apple must own the patent court, the all new ipatent
That’s it baby…
I’m filling in a pattent for cube shaped design. And whilst I’m there I might as well get the 3 sided pyramid, cylinder and whatever other shape I can think of. Just kick back and send my army of no-win-no-fee lawyers out