Patent hints at Apple's Spaces on the iPad

Would love to see Spaces on the iPad (or all of the iOS devices.) But how about all of our apps on one screen and we scroll down instead of multiple pages (I think the Droid is like that.) Then a right swipe would be Spotlight and a left swipe would be something like Spaces or Expose.
They could even put something in the menu bar to tap to bring up Spaces.

Spaces really does make sense on the iPad. But when I first saw the picture my initial thought was Expose. Drag four fingers down on the touch screen and it shows you all open applications. Anyway, Apple should definitely bring Expose and Spaces to the iPad.

You can get a patent for spaces? The spaces idea is so old, it has a longer beard than santa. Or do I misunderstand something? A patent for a two-finger pinch?
I think software patents are anti-competive, unnecessary and most of the time ridiculous. Without software patents your idea is protected but in a more specific way not in the 'blah blah something like that' way.

I'm sure it's been mentioned before but I cannot understand why Apple has so far not used the space above the current window for some other use.

To the left we have spotlight, to the right (and left when multiple apps are open or multiple pages of apps are available) but we have nothing above the active window.

Before multi-tasking, I had suggested this idea on here at least to be used fo r user definable settings page or quick access to settings for wifi, Bluetooth etc... It could be an alternative home screen.

... With the Xcode upgrade and gesture navigation growing, this could still apply but now with spaces as hinted at in the patent application.

I predict Windows will now include this on their tablet editions, then try to squash the Apple patent while it is in process. But they will wait for that action until they deploy a very very broken unfriendly version first.

And also, after deploying the broken version based on Apple's published patent application, before Apple actually deploys the technology, some fan boy will point out it was on Windows Tablet first so Microsoft must have invented it.

Just say'n ... Apple innovates, "Others" copy and claim innovation.

pinching in the corner might be awkward. The multitouch gestures might work better.

Or on the double click home button, the multitask bar could pull up with the left swipe audio options as the default, and then show spaces in the view above. That would also work with the 4 finger up gesture.

buy Xcode and turn your iPad 1 or 2 in a Developer ipad and use the Multi Gestures for swiping 4 fingers left and right between apps or up to reveal multitask bar, down to make it go away and four finger pinch to go to home screen...best 5 bucks I gave Apple since owning two ipads.

Patents that dont get implemented and put into market should expire in 12 months and apply a penalty to fund the technology if it sees a market or common good.