ITC裁定Samsung侵害Apple四件專利

在先前美國ITC作出Samsung等（包括hTC）的Android作業系統的智慧型手機侵害Apple的4件專利（對不同廠商有不同的專利訴訟組合），並作出初步裁定（preliminary ruling），4件專利有1件設計案、1件硬體、兩件多點觸控軟體專利。



被告侵權的Samsung產品如下（資料來自訴訟狀/FOSS Patents）：

• Samsung smartphones
  
  • Galaxy S 4G
  • Fascinate
  • Transform
  • Captivate
  • Intercept
  • Infuse 4G
• Samsung tablets
  
  • the original Galaxy Tab
  • the new Galaxy Tab 10.1
    

經初步瀏覽這些專利，大約就是Apple的核心專利（之四）的組合，而就以我的初步判斷，都確實是很基本的技術，要專利無效就看是否有前案技術，如果沒有，確實頗為嚇人。

就設計專利D618,678所界定的電子裝置來看，為iPhone三代的設計，其母案可追溯至2007年：




US7,479,949涉及一種觸控屏裝置，以及相關觸控方法與使用者介面，特別的是，Steven P.(Steve) Jobs列為第一發明人。

這件2008年提出專利案的母案可以追溯到2006提出的美國臨時案，顯然也是Apple觸控相關專利的核心之一。就其主張專利侵權的Claim 1來看，主張的範圍為一計算器，包括有觸控顯示器、處理器、記憶體，以及儲存在記憶體內的程式（這就是Apple一貫軟體專利的撰寫方式），程式包括多個指令（instructions），指令包括：偵測手指接觸觸控屏的事件、判斷命令（command）、處理這些命令，相關的事件有以手指朝縱向的一維捲動、根據手指操作的二維轉移（translation），以及根據顯示的項目（item）顯示下一個項目（next item）。
1. A computing device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including:

instructions for detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display;

instructions for applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device; and

instructions for processing the command;

wherein the one or more heuristics comprise:

a vertical screen scrolling heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one-dimensional vertical screen scrolling command rather than a two-dimensional screen translation command based on an angle of initial movement of a finger contact with respect to the touch screen display;

a two-dimensional screen translation heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to the two-dimensional screen translation command rather than the one-dimensional vertical screen scrolling command based on the angle of initial movement of the finger contact with respect to the touch screen display; and

a next item heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a command to transition from displaying a respective item in a set of items to displaying a next item in the set of items.

再是US RE41,922所界定提供半透明影像的方法與裝置，其中應用在有應用程式產生一個影像（base image），再有另一個應用程式產生另一個半透明影像蓋在之前別的應用程式產生的影像上，半透明影像會顯示出被覆蓋的另一影像的部份身影。

我認為這樣的軟體專利寫法值得學習的地方是，如果真的沒有人做過，就盡量放大專利範圍，（如果想要告人，就自行限縮，改寫成有把握的範圍，就如這件，在Re-issue新增專利範圍，並補述功能描述 updated on Oct. 31, 2012），尤其是討論影像相互疊影時的軟體方法，頗為有趣。
根據主張專利侵權的Claim 29（Re-issue所新增）所界定的範圍，其中界定一種在電子裝置上顯示器上顯示的方法，包括顯示一個基底影像（base image），接著顯示另一個半透明影像，其中被覆蓋的部份有部份可見（partially visible），重點是：其中被覆蓋與覆蓋的半透明影像都可以接收使用者的操作指令。
29. A method for displaying images on a display screen of an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
displaying a base image on a display screen of the electronic device; and
displaying a translucent image on said screen such that portions of said base image which are covered by said translucent image are at least partially visible through said translucent image,
wherein said translucent image and said base image are selectably active to receive user input and the base image remains at least partially covered by said translucent image even when selected.

（母案Claim 1，保留在re-issue案，並未提出侵權主張 updated on Oct. 31, 2012）
1. A method for establishing a translucent window having a translucent window background and a translucent window frame on a display screen of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a translucent window on a display screen such that a base window can be seen through said translucent window, and

conducting image operations on at least one of said translucent window and said base window.

 

US7,912,501涉及一種聲音輸出入耳機插入偵測電路，這件案子頗不像Apple的專利，因為是一種耳機的電路，並且顯然就是iPhone/iPad上的耳機孔的相關電路，因為Apple賦予耳機孔有除了聲音輸出外的其他功能，此專利明確表示，耳機介面（插頭）的訊號有4個區域，當有耳機插座插入裝置的插孔內，電路將偵測相關可用的功能，比如耳機拔出後，電路將偵測到有訊號遺失，將中斷通話。

主張侵權的專利範圍Claim 1如下，重點是microphone detection circuitry：
1. A system for detecting which type of plug is received by a portable electronic device, the system comprising:

a jack constructed to receive a plug selected from at least a microphone type and a non-microphone type, wherein the jack comprises a microphone connector electrically coupled to CODEC circuitry and microphone detection circuitry, a ground connector coupled to a ground source, a right connector coupled to the CODEC circuitry, and a left connector coupled to the CODEC circuitry, and wherein the ground connector is positioned between the microphone connector and either the left connector or the right connector;

the microphone detection circuitry operative to:

determine whether the received plug is the microphone type or the non-microphone type; and

provide a signal indicative of whether the received plug is the microphone type or the non-microphone type.

2011年Apple提出訴訟書：
AppleVsSamsung_11.07.05

Ron
資料參考：FOSS PATENTS, Scribd