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Report: Apple unsuccessful in patenting iPod interface
Following a lengthy attempt of nearly three years, Apple has reportedly failed to patent the software interface of the iPod.
“The company’s patent application, which lists Apple VP Jeff Robbin and Apple CEO Steve Jobs as two of its primary inventors, received a final rejection last month from the United States Patent and Trademark Office,” reports AppleInsider. “Standing in Apple’s way appears to be a prior filing by inventor John Platt, who submitted a patent application for a similar software design for a portable device in May of 2002—just five months before Robbin submitted his claims on behalf of Apple.”
Platt’s application describes his invention as a system that “generates playlists for a library collection of media items via selecting a plurality of seed items, at least one which is an undesirable seed item,” according to the Apple enthusiast site. “The process by which the iPod’s software displays its own menu-based interface is very similar to the process Platt’s filing goes on to describe.”
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“The patent isn’t owned by Microsoft. It’s owned by Platt himself.”\
Depends on what the contract that he signed with MS says. Many companies will “own” an idea that was created while in their employment. MS could own this.
Posted by SiliconAddict on August 11, 2005 at 2:12 PM (PDT)
22
“When Microsoft purchased the ~$100 million (?) in non-voting Apple stock, Apple had substantial cash on hand (~$4 billion), as well as blossoming relationships with Akamai and Pixar. 3dfx was far worse off.”
Yes, this is correct, the infusion of cash from M$ was NOT to financially float Apple, but in fact to fend of anti-trust cases against themselves. M$ were forced by monopolies laws to invest subtantially in competitors products or find themselves in court for being a monopoly. It WAS a bad time at Apple and their market-share was at an all-time low, but they had a hard core userbase who were still buying everything they put out whilst the company were in the process of preparing for the second coming of our Lord Jobs (I think the cash injection from M$ actually went towards buying Stevie Boy his Leerjet to tempt him back). Once He had returned Apple could do no wrong (except maybe those dodgy ‘lost in space’ blue/white Apple Studio Displays - poor!), blah blah blah, rest is history…
Sod Jobs though, Apple should bring back the WOZ!!! The true king of kings :D
Posted by M-RES on August 12, 2005 at 9:41 AM (PDT)
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