USPTO Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

USPTO asks Apple to amend its application to trademark 'iPad mini'

by Kelly Hodgkins (Apr 1st, 2013)

Earlier this year, Apple received a non-final Office action letter from the USPTO regarding its trademark application for the iPad mini mark. A non-final Office action is the first notice sent to an applicant about a problem with its trademark application. Following the notice, the applicant ...

Apple awarded glass-on-metal trackpad design patent

by Steven Sande (Jan 15th, 2013)

The next time you sit down at an aluminum unibody MacBook and glide your finger atop the trackpad, you can take pride in knowing that the design of that trackpad has been issued a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Design patent D674382 was published today under the rather mundane ...

Apple wins patent rights to new curved glass process

by Mike Schramm (Dec 26th, 2012)

Apple has been granted patent rights for a new process using high temperatures to shape and mold a curved glass casing, similar to the one currently on newer Samsung devcies, as opposed to the very flat screen found on the iPhone 5. This exact patent doesn't have a huge influence on Apple's ...

USPTO rejects Apple touch input patent used in Samsung case

by Randy Nelson (Dec 20th, 2012)

The US Patent and Trademark Office has handed Apple a tentative rejection of a touch recognition patent that was part of the company's $1.05 billion court victory against Samsung in August. According to FOSS Patents, all 20 claims of US Patent No. 7,844,915 have been invalidated, but it was ...

Apple's Mac startup chime now a registered trademark

by Steven Sande (Dec 12th, 2012)

Ever since the first Mac was sold back in 1984, Apple's computer line has emitted a beep or chime when starting up. It's kind of a way of saying "Hello" to you while letting you know that the computer is going to start going through its boot process. That startup chime is now a registered ...

Apple receives patent rights for original iOS Maps app GUI

by Kelly Hodgkins (Oct 30th, 2012)

The US Patent and Trademark Office awarded Apple a patent that covers a "touch screen device, method and graphical user interface" for the iOS Maps application. US Patent No. 8,302,033 describes features in iOS Maps including an easy-to-use UI that did away with pushbuttons and complex menu ...

Patent office invalidates Apple's "rubber-banding" patent in Samsung trial

by Kelly Hodgkins (Oct 23rd, 2012)

According to FOSS Patents, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated all 20 claims of Apple's rubber-banding patent (U.S. Patent No, 7,469,381). This is a non-final decision that could be overturned by Apple if it convinces the USPTO that the claims are new and innovative ...

Daily Update for August 22, 2012

by Steven Sande (Aug 22nd, 2012)

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player ...

Apple wins patents for Apple TV nav, DVR features

by Kelly Hodgkins (Aug 15th, 2012)

Apple was recently granted a patent (no. 8,243,017) that describes a video device with an onscreen menu, a recording feature and a channel navigation system. Patently Apple hypothesizes that this patent describes a way the Apple TV could be used to display, record and control the playback of ...

iTunes, Sony PlayStation Network targeted in suit

by Kelly Hodgkins (Mar 29th, 2012)

Another day and another patent lawsuit. Today, we have a new lawsuit from investor Benjamin Grobler who claims Apple's iTunes and Sony's PlayStation network induce customers to violate his "data vending system" patent, says a report in Computerworld. Grobler's US patent describes a data vending ...

Apple granted patent on improved antenna design

by Steven Sande (Mar 27th, 2012)

If the news of Apple's newly-granted patent on a SIM tray wasn't enough to get you all excited this morning, here's some additional patent news that should have bouncing up and down with delight. OK, maybe not, but Apple did secure a second patent today -- Number 8,144,063, which was applied ...

Apple patents SIM tray amid nano-SIM battle

by Steven Sande (Mar 27th, 2012)

TUAW's been all over the nano-SIM battle being waged in the hallowed halls of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), pitching Apple against the evil triumvirate of Nokia, Motorola, and RIM. Now, just coincidentally, Apple has received U.S. Patent 8,145,261 for "Ejectable ...

Apple can't get "multi-touch" trademark

by Michael Grothaus (Sep 26th, 2011)

Apple has been denied a trademark for the term "multi-touch," reports MacRumors. Apple originally applied for the trademark on January 9, 2007, just one day before the first iPhone was introduced. The United States Patent and Trademark Office denied the initial trademark application, but per ...

Apple granted a trademark for the word 280

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jul 6th, 2011)

Apple received a trademark for the word 280 and the icon for its iOS navigation app. The trademark application was filed in April 2010 and granted on June 28, 2011. "280", for those who are wondering, refers to Route 280 which runs next to Apple's campus at One Infinite Loop in Cupertino. The ...

Apple trademarks AirDrop

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jun 20th, 2011)

Apple introduced AirDrop as one new feature included in Mac OS X Lion. AirDrop is a file sharing service that lets you easily send files to other nearby AirDrop users. Apple now owns the trademark for the service, apparently acquiring it from Urban Airship, Inc. The trademark application was ...