Key Apple patent declared invalid by US patent office

Just as it did in late October, the US Patent and Trademark Office has declared Apple's rubber-banding patent invalid. FOSS Patents reports that all 20 claims of the so-called "Steve Jobs patent" have been shot down by the office, despite being upheld as valid in past infringement rulings against rival Samsung.

As before, the ruling is considered "non-final" which means Apple still has the chance to make its case for the patent's validity and try again. However, if Apple's available appeals on the matter are exhausted before the company can convince the office to see things differently, Apple will indeed lose the patent.