Here’s another decision from the US Patent Office in the Samsung’s side as it has rejected the claims of Apple’s on ‘pinch to zoom’ patent. Its the conclusive claims in the ongoing litigations between the two companies.
The patent, No. 7,844,915, was first filed back in November 2010 and described, “an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application”. The 21 claims of the patent were rejected by the USPTO in a “final office action,” as they were anticipated by previous patents or unpatentable.
Foss‘ Florian Mueller notes that the patents Apple has put forward in its second patent action against Samsung are “on average, considerably more valuable than the ones asserted in the first case.”
Its not the first patent which has given big blow to Apple claims even last year, in October, the agency invalidated the rubber-banding patent, stating that a number of its claims were anticipated or obvious due to prior art.
The patent has been a big part in the Apple’s $1 billion win over Samsung in court. So, this new ruling could have a significant impact on Samsung’s appeal bid.
Source: Computerworld