Apple is known to claiming patents on various software’s and then suing companies for using them. However the patenting authorities have set aside a major patent claim from the company this time.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has rejected Apple’s pinch-to-zoom patent claim, which the company had filed for in 2007 and was later won in 2010. The pinch-to-zoom patent covered how software would distinguish between the scrolling movement of one finger and two-finger gestures like pinch-to-zoom on a touchscreen.
After initially ruling that the pinch-to-zoom patent was invalid at a preliminary ruling in December 2012, the USPTO has today in a ‘final office action’ rejected all 21 claims by Apple for either being anticipated by previous patents or for being un-patentable. The patent constituted a major chunk of Apple’s $1 billion win over Samsung in court and hence could be favourable in Samsung’s appeal bid.
