Linked by Andrew Youll on Wed 17th Aug 2005 15:54 UTC, submitted by Ben2040
Creating a surprise twist in the portable music wars, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied Apple's application to patent its method of using hierarchical menus to navigate through the iPod's contents. The basis for the denial: a similar method outlined in a Microsoft researcher's patent application, filed after the iPod was introduced but before Apple sought its own patent.
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Member since:
2005-07-06
A similar method outlined in a Microsoft researcher's patent application, filed after the iPod was introduced but before Apple sought its own patent.
IANAL but that's "prior art", right ? So an Apple should be able to fix everything by appealing the decision to grant Microsoft the patent.
What is interesting is that ms are gently starting to pressure (FUD) Apple. It shows they're getting jittery, which can be a good thing or very bad indeed depending on how Apple play their hand the next couple of years.