Apple patents proximity-based iOS to OS X file transfer technology

via digitaltrends.com

MacBook, iPhone, iPad: Apple’s trifecta of products. Out of those three, you’re probably more inclined to bring the iPhone and iPad everywhere with you. You take pictures with your iPhone, type documents on your iPad, or create and edit videos on either. These days, to transfer content from your mobile devices to your computer, you have no choice but to rely on cloud services, or to email the files to yourself. Apple has PhotoStream that makes things a bit easier, but, according to AppleInsider, a newly filed Apple patent will make transferring files from an iPhone or iPad to a MacBook much more convenient.

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Google, BlackBerry EarthLink and Red Hat Take A Stand Against Patent Trolls, Ask FTC, DoJ To Do The Same

via techcrunch.com

Google, along with BlackBerry, EarthLink and Red Hat today appealed to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to take stronger action against companies like Lodsys, Intellectual Ventures, and other “patent assertion entities” (aka patent trolls or patent privateers) — companies they believe abuse patents for financial gain and are an increasing detriment to the technology industry, costing U.S. companies alone nearly $30 billion in 2011, “and $80 billion when accounting for all costs – direct and indirect.”

The four companies’ position was laid out in a lengthy comments document submitted to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. The 22-page report lays out how PAEs’ activities have evolved over the last several years; they claim that their licensing regimes and court cases cost the U.S. economy some $30 billion annually.

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Apple's iWatch Concept Is Real - And Here's How It Might Work

via readwrite.com

Apple is working on a smart watch. Any lingering doubts about that notion took a further hit yesterday when a patent filing for such a device surfaced, adding more fuel to an already frenzied fire of speculation.

According to the filing, Apple has conceived a watch-like device with a flexible, touchscreen display and the ability to connect to other devices (like your iPhone) via a wireless protocol, probably Bluetooth 4. There's been plenty of unsourced speculation about what the so-called iWatch would do. In the patent, Apple chimes in and specifically mentions reviewing recent calls, editing playlists, receiving text messages and using maps. Other details in the filing point to the use of solar and kinetic energy to help power the watch, which will undoubtedly require far more energy than your old Casio calculator watch.

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Is this the iWatch patent?

via techi.com

AppleInsider has uncovered a patent filing that points to a flexible touchscreen watch design. If you don’t think this is the new rumored iWatch, you’re missing some brain cells.

As we pointed out the other day, there are plenty of rumors and concept designs behind the device, but this is the first time we’ve seen an Apple stamp associated with one. The images may not be as hip or cool, but they may just be real.

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Google Is Thinking About Putting A Projector On Its New Computerized Glasses

via businessinsider.com

Engadget points out that Google has applied for a patent on a system to project images from its Google Glass computerized glasses to a number of surfaces.

Intellectual property geeks can read the full application here.

The patent explains a system that would allow for projecting a QWERTY keyboard and other buttons anywhere you might want to press them.

If this patent is realized, you might soon be dialing your next phone number by touching your forearm.

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An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Patents: The Basics

via techcrunch.com

Patents. A single word that incites a fervor in the online tech blogging realm, perhaps only after the emotional responses to the iPhone vs. Android battle or TechCrunch using expletives in an article title.

With the publicity of the Apple and Samsung patent litigation, it became evident that some authors and commenters around the web do not fully understand patents and the patent system. In some instances, the scope of a patent was blown way out of proportion and deemed excessively broad. In other instances, conclusory statements were directed toward the entire patent system without an explanation or justification. For example, some people claim that patents are outdated relics that now only serve to stifle innovation. Typically, this argument has been made in regards to so-called “software patents,” but it is interpreted by many as implicating the entire patent system.

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Google's Eric Schmidt slams patent wars, still has nice things to say about Apple and Samsung

via engadget.com

Eric Schmidt's recent trip to Seoul wasn't all spontaneous Gangnam dancing. Google's former-CEO / current executive chair had a lot to say during the Korean launch of the company's Nexus 7 tablet, bemoaning the patent wars that have ensnarled the industry, telling the crowd, "literally patent wars prevent choice, prevent innovation and I think that is very bad. We are obviously working through that and trying to make sure we stay on the right side of these issues." The war for marketshare ought to be fought with the release of better products, rather legal maneuvering, according to the executive.

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These Are The 6 Apple Patents Samsung Violated

via businessinsider.com

Apple won its big patent lawsuit against Samsung.

We've pulled together the six patents the jury says Samsung violated.

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Apple vs. Samsung Continued: Why This War is Far From Over

via mashable.com

Technology may move at the speed of electrons, but the law tends to slouch stubbornly along like — well, like an ass.

For all the hubbub about the billion-dollar jury decision in the Apple-Samsung lawsuit (and despite Apple moving forward with a bid to ban eight specific mobile gadgets), we’re not even close to a final resolution of round one in this case — let alone an appeal.

That’s great news for the lawyers (Apple’s team at Morrison Foerster, whose email addresses all read “mofo.com”, is billing at a median rate of $581 an hour, according to court documents). It’s not so great for consumers who want to figure out which phone to buy, or any company that feels the chill of potential patent infringement. And it’ll be a disappointment to anyone used to the lightning pace of social media and Silicon Valley.

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How To Protect Your Ideas

via inspirationfeed.com

Protecting your concepts and ideas is regularly neglected by people, despite it being an essential part of nearly every single industry in the world. When you create an original work, you want to make sure that you are acknowledged as its author or creator. Don’t let your ideas slip away from you. A little caution and effort can save you from that dreadful saying: “if only I…”

Here is a practical guide to keeping your ideas, yours.

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Apple Vs. Samsung: Everything You Need To Know About The Patent Trial Of The Century

via businessinsider.com

The patent trial of the century between Apple and Samsung finally kicked off Monday in San Jose as lawyers for the two companies began the process of selecting a jury.

If you haven't been following it closely, here are a few things you should know about the case...

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Apple Wins A Patent For Its Own Version Of Google Glasses

via businessinsider.com

Apple has been awarded a patent for technology that sounds very similar to Google's Glass project Nick Bilton at the New York Times reports.

The patent is for "peripheral treatment for head-mounted displays," which allows images to be projected into your eye, says Bilton.

Now, just because Apple has a patent doesn't mean it's going to do anything. It is constantly researching new technology and patenting it. Those patents are proving to be quite handy in the smartphone wars.

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These Are The 11 Patents That Are Getting Android Into Trouble With Apple And Microsoft

via businessinsider.com

Late Friday Apple won an injunction against Samsung blocking the Galaxy Nexus from being sold in the U.S.

The judge who made the ruling, Lucy Koh said, "although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products.

While Samsung is currently appealing the ban, this isn't the first time an Android product was attacked in court for patent issues.

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Google's Project Glass trackpad gets swaddled in patent protection

via engadget.com

Remember when Sergey Brin was on The Gavin Newsom Show showing off Project Glass' right-sided physical trackpad? Today, that element of the tech was given the official thumbs-up by the US patent and trademark office. Legally-trained minds in the audience concerned about the appearance forming prior art, take it easy -- the patent was filed five days before the Google chief took to basic cable to demonstrate his pet project to the current Lt. Governor of California.

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A Beginner's Guide to Patents, Trademarks and Copyright

via openforum.com

New ideas make the world of business go 'round, and small businesses are no exception. Such ideas can be the lifeblood for these businesses, which are often built around a new invention, product, process, service or idea.

But small-business owners often aren't sure what to do when they have a new idea. Should you get a patent? How can you protect your business interests? What's a trademark, anyway? And is copyright even something that concerns you?

To address those questions and others, here's a primer of the three intellectual property biggies: patents, trademarks and copyrights.

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Apple’s recent patent for iPhone 3D camera technology

via techi.com

We have been hearing rumors about the iPhone 5 since long before the 4S was launched. One of the most recent rumors to surround the heavily anticipated smartphone is arguably more intriguing than them all. According to Patently Apple, the tech giant has patented a new technology that could give its popular mobile device three dimensional appeal.

The site, which as the name implies, keeps up with all things related to Apple and its patenting initiatives, reported that the company recently patented a new technology that could introduce 3D camera technology into devices running its iOS operating system. Initial reports suggest that the new technology would enable consumers to enhance the visual depth of their shots by using sophisticated microlenses. It is believed that this 3D functionality would not be limited to smartphones, but available to tablets, personal computers, standalone digital cameras, and any other capable devices.

So how would this new 3D camera technology work in the real world? Well according the patent, it would combine radar, laser, light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) and various other sensors to enhance depth and the intensity of color accuracy. The language also indicates that it would enable cameras to detect facial expressions and gestures ranging from a grin to a grimace. It is being speculated that the detection aspect could work by detecting parts of the face such as a person’s eyes, nose, and mouth, and then matching it with a range of expressions and gestures stored in a database.

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Help! There’s A Patent On My Idea! What Now?

via techcrunch.com

One of the most frequent questions I get asked goes something like this: “I have a really great idea, but (name of big company or university) has a patent on that. What do I do?” With over 8,000,000 patents issued to date and thousands of new patents issued weekly, chances are good that patents have been issued that are relevant to your business or idea. Knowingly infringing an active patent can lead to disastrous consequences for your business. So what do you do?

Well, those people who have asked a patent attorney have already taken the right first step. Patents are legal documents and can be incredibly difficult to understand for those who are not well versed in the language of “Patentese.” Talking to a patent attorney is invaluable when dealing with a patent issue. So what follows is a discussion of a few things that should be considered to help give a better understanding of the process and to show that it is not necessarily a hopeless situation.

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Facebook Paying Microsoft $550 Million for Former AOL Patents

via allthingsd.com

Facebook and Microsoft are about to announce a deal where the social networking giant pays Redmond $550 million for access to more than 600 patents, AllThingsD has learned.

The deal comes as the social network prepares for its initial stock offering and looks to protect itself in an increasingly litigious intellectual property environment. Yahoo sued Facebook last month, alleging infringement of 10 patents.

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10 Ways to Protect Your Intellectual Property

via inc.com

How important is intellectual property protection to your startup? Not too long ago, defensible IP was one of the top things venture capitalists wanted to see in a startup. But the success of several high-profile tech startups, such as Twitter and Facebook, that are relatively weak on patentable intellectual property, has caused many to rethink that assumption. After all, creating and maintaining a robust IP portfolio is expensive. Patents don’t determine whether a startup will be able to scale. And the lean startup model is all about getting to market fast with the minimum viable product. Launch first, patent later… if at all.

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Why Startups Should Pay Attention To Skyrocketing Patent Prices

via techcrunch.com

As large companies increasingly look to protect their revenue streams through IP risk mitigation, startups with strong patent holdings will become increasingly valuable because they provide an opportunity to remove dual potential threats to the potential acquirer’s revenue stream — as a competitor and as a patent threat. Startups that are able to position themselves as part of an acquirer’s IP risk mitigation strategy make themselves more attractive targets for acquisition.

For example, Twitter acquired Tweetie days after Tweetie filed for a patent application on the pull down to refresh feature and Google recently acquired Apture and Katango, two small startups with multiple pending patent applications relevant to Google’s businesses. Although some have described these deals as talent acquisitions, the value presented by the associated IP to the acquirer should not be ignored.

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