EPO一些文件遞送的修正

歐洲專利局修改一些實施規則（rules）。這2014年10月決定的修正將於2015年4月開始實施。
（本次修正Rules 2, 124, 125, 126, 127, 129, 133 and 134都是有關郵寄遞送EPO通知，中文摘要與修正後規定如下，英文黑體字為主要修正字眼）

Rule 2(1) shall read as follows:

（專利文件可親自遞送，或是透過郵政服務、電子通訊等，也不排除其他EPO認可的格式文件）

"(1) In proceedings before the European Patent Office, documents may be filed by delivery by hand, by postal services or by means of electronic communication. The President of the European Patent Office shall lay down the details and conditions and, where appropriate, any special formal or technical requirements for the filing of documents. In particular, he may specify that confirmation must be supplied. If such confirmation is not supplied in due time, the European patent application shall be refused; documents filed subsequently shall be deemed not to have been received."

Rule 124(3) shall read as follows:

（EPO雇員藉由簽名或是其他方式驗證口頭審理與取證的記錄）

"(3) The minutes shall be authenticated by the employee responsible for drawing them up and by the employee who conducted the oral proceedings or taking of evidence, either by their signature or by any other appropriate means."

Rule 125(1) and (2)(a) and (b) shall read as follows:

（EPO發出的通知或決定有時間限制，並符合規定，通知應採用原始文件，如果是副本應受到驗證或密封）

"(1) The European Patent Office shall, as a matter of course, notify those concerned of decisions and summonses, and of any notice or other communication from which a time limit is reckoned, or of which those concerned must be notified under the Convention, or of which notification has been ordered by the President of the European Patent Office. Any notification to be made shall take the form of the original document, a copy thereof certified by or bearing the seal of the European Patent Office, a computer print-out bearing such seal or an electronic document containing such seal or otherwise certified. Copies of documents emanating from the parties themselves shall not require such certification.

(2) Notification shall be made:

(a) by postal services in accordance with Rule 126;

(b) by means of electronic communication in accordance with Rule 127;"

Rule 126 shall read as follows:

（本條為採用郵政服務（一般郵寄）遞送文件的規定。有關訴願或請願決定遞送都應以掛號郵寄；郵政服務提供者有義務確認送達給收件者；若以掛號郵寄通知都視為完成遞送）

"Rule 126

Notification by postal services

(1) Decisions incurring a period for appeal or a petition for review, summonses and other such documents as determined by the President of the European Patent Office shall be notified by registered letter with advice of delivery or equivalent. All other notifications by postal services shall be by registered letter.

(2) Where notification is effected in accordance with paragraph 1, the letter shall be deemed to be delivered to the addressee on the tenth day following its handover to the postal service provider, unless it has failed to reach the addressee or has reached him at a later date; in the event of any dispute, it shall be incumbent on the European Patent Office to establish that the letter has reached its destination or to establish the date on which the letter was delivered to the addressee, as the case may be.

(3) Notification in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be deemed to have been effected even if acceptance of the letter has been refused.

(4) To the extent that notification by postal services is not covered by paragraphs 1 to 3, the law of the State in which the notification is made shall apply."

Rule 127 shall read as follows:

（本條規定電子通訊遞送方法，細目都為新增。以電子文件遞送時，除非有誤，否則在第十天後若無錯誤，視為完成遞送；EPO負有遞送完成義務）

"Rule 127

Notification by means of electronic communication

(1) Notification may be effected by means of electronic communication as determined by the President of the European Patent Office and under the conditions laid down by him.

(2) Where notification is effected by means of electronic communication, the electronic document shall be deemed to be delivered to the addressee on the tenth day following its transmission, unless it has failed to reach its destination or has reached its destination at a later date; in the event of any dispute, it shall be incumbent on the European Patent Office to establish that the electronic document has reached its destination or to establish the date on which it reached its destination, as the case may be." 

The German version of Rule 129(1) shall read as follows:

（德國要求以一般郵寄應有二次遞送）

"(1) Kann die Anschrift des Empfängers nicht festgestellt werden oder war die Zustellung nach Regel 126 Absatz 1 auch nach einem zweiten Versuch unmöglich, so wird durch öffentliche Bekanntmachung zugestellt."

Rule 133(1) shall read as follows:

（如果以經過認證的郵寄服務遞送文件到EPO，即便遲到，仍應視為在期限內交付，除非遲到超過三個月）

"(1) A document received late at the European Patent Office shall be deemed to have been received in due time if it was delivered to a recognised postal service provider in due time before expiry of the period in accordance with the conditions laid down by the President of the European Patent Office, unless the document was received later than three months after expiry of the period."

Rule 134(1) shall read as follows:

（如果過期日遇到EPO假日，延到下次上班日）

"(1) If a period expires on a day on which one of the filing offices of the European Patent Office under Rule 35, paragraph 1, is not open for receipt of documents or on which, for reasons other than those referred to in paragraph 2, mail is not delivered there, the period shall extend to the first day thereafter on which all the filing offices are open for receipt of documents and on which mail is delivered. The first sentence shall apply mutatis mutandis if documents filed by one of the means of electronic communication permitted by the President of the European Patent Office under Rule 2, paragraph 1, cannot be received."

Rule 134(5) shall read as follows:

（如果遭遇自然災害、戰爭、暴動、電子通訊斷訊等問題，提出合理證據仍可視為即時送達）

"(5) Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 to 4, a party concerned may produce evidence that on any of the ten days preceding the day of expiry of a period the delivery or transmission of mail was dislocated due to an exceptional occurrence such as a natural disaster, war, civil disorder, a general breakdown in any of the means of electronic communication permitted by the President of the European Patent Office under Rule 2, paragraph 1, or other like reasons affecting the locality where the party or his representative resides or has his place of business. If the evidence produced satisfies the European Patent Office, a document received late shall be deemed to have been received in due time, provided that the mailing or the transmission was effected at the latest on the fifth day after the end of the dislocation."

資訊來源：
http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/official-journal/ac-decisions/archive/20150212.html

Ron

Blackberry想要剿滅Typo的手機鍵盤殼

Blackberry與Typo的訴訟先前報導：
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/04/blackberryiphone.html（Blackberry贏了iPhone附掛鍵盤的禁制令）
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/01/blackberry.html（產品、行銷、專利、商標與訴訟（談Blackberry模糊的訴訟策略））

當Typo Keyboard被告侵權，而且還取得禁令且輸了訴訟（Typo因持續販售而繳交罰金約86萬美元），仍進行一些改變且持續販售：Typo2 Keyboard，不過面對Blackberry"手機鍵盤"上既深且廣的專利佈局與使用者印象，這回提出告訴除了專利侵權外，還主張Typo2侵害Blackberry的外觀商標（"Trade Dress"，Blackberry未註冊），也就是侵害大眾在Blackberry一些產品線上的經典認知。

註（http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2012/08/trade-dress.html、http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2009/04/trade-dress.html）：
Trade dress是泛指一個產品的外觀，包括產品的包裝，也可說是保護一個消費者心目中的形象，或對產品認同的信心，防止消費者因為「辨識」混淆而產生錯買的事情。Trade Dress是透過一系列專利、產品與行銷所產生的印象，明顯的如Apple的iPhone, iPad, iPod，Blackberry一系列產品也形成類似的印象。

參考：
TMEP1202.02 Registration of Trade Dress
When an applicant applies to register a product's design, product packaging, color, or other trade dress for goods or services, the examining attorney must consider two issues: (1) functionality; and (2) distinctiveness....

訴訟資訊：
法院：北卡地院
原告：BLACKBERRY LIMITED
被告：Typo Products, LLC.
被告產品：Typo2 Keyboard


訴狀內列舉2007年、2013年黑莓產品，並引用許多報章雜誌的報導，並說明Typo明知故犯，希望藉此形成一個影響陪審團"蓄意侵權"決定的氛圍。



鍵盤比較：


相關專利列舉：
US8162552

1. A keyboard for a wireless handheld mobile communication device, the keyboard comprising:

a keyfield comprising a plurality of depressible keys arranged in rows that are distributed about a vertical centerline of the keyboard; and

each of the depressible keys has a top engagement surface of which an upper inboard portion is raised relative to a lower outboard portion thereof, wherein the top engagement surface of at least some of the depressible keys has a generally inclined crest shape with a top of the crest diagonally oriented on the key.

US8493322


US8431849

1. A keypad assembly comprising:

a) a dome configured to operatively engage a switch sensor;

b) a dome overlay guide adhered to the dome;

c) a key corresponding to the dome, and configured to operatively engage the dome;

d) a light emitting source configured to emit light;

e) a reflector layer configured to reflect light escaping the dome overlay guide;

f) wherein the dome overlay guide is configured to receive the emitted light and direct the received light toward the key.

US8658925
1. A keypad assembly comprising:

a) a dome configured to operatively engage a switch sensor;

b) a dome overlay guide adhered directly to the dome;

c) a key corresponding to the dome, and configured to operatively engage the dome;

d) a light emitting source configured to emit light; and

e) wherein the dome overlay guide is configured to receive the emitted light and direct the received light toward the key.

US7417565

1. A hand-held electronic device comprising:

a keyboard, said keyboard having a plurality of keys of identical shape, each key having a substantially flat contact surface extending between a first side and an opposed second side of said each key, said first side having a substantially planar upper portion meeting said contact surface at an obtuse angle; said second side having a substantially planar surface meeting said contact surface at substantially a right angle; said keys oriented such that, for each of a plurality of pairs of adjacent keys, said second side of one key of each pair faces said first side of an adjacent key of each pair.

新聞來源：
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/blackberry-dials-up-second-lawsuit-774312

訴狀：

   typo2

Ron

台中歌劇院 - 麗明營造專利

台中歌劇院這個國際級的建築物風光開幕，這個不可能的建築任務（包括經費與工法）由麗明營造承攬，聽說工法有申請專利，就職業性地找了一下，從2009年開始營造，這兩件專利也是在這個期間提出申請與獲准的，麗明營造也只有這兩件就是了！（感覺上，可能多數建築工法都是見招拆招，遇到問題就去解決，直接公開在建築物上，而且各有巧妙，要不然就去請教前輩，如果要申請專利，應該就是突破了某種沒有人可以學習的障礙）

麗明營造相關專利：
TW I463057（混凝土灌漿牆之鋼筋結構體及其施工方法）
TW M421351（間隔器及具有間隔器的混凝土灌漿牆之桁架）


TW I463057（混凝土灌漿牆之鋼筋結構體及其施工方法）
此發明揭示一種混凝土灌漿牆之鋼筋結構體與施工方法，「解決的問題」清楚載明在說明書中，也就是針對「在模板表面非平面時，為求美觀需要多次粉刷」、「習知技術無法用於"曲牆"」、「彎曲模板製作不易與拆除不便」等問題提出解決方案，看來確實是針對「台中歌劇院」來的。

我不懂建築，但是可以從說明書瞭解，大概是「曲牆模板」用多個「桁架」模組化得到，為了要能方便拆除，就用「防漏網、支撐網」來解決。

幾個重要元件（應對照圖式）：桁架10、第一主筋12、第二主筋14、固定桿18、垂直主筋26、水平主筋28、防漏網34、支撐網36。

主要請求項1、11：
1.一種混凝土灌漿牆之鋼筋結構體，包含：
複數條並排的第一主筋與複數條並排的第二主筋；
複數固定桿，係間隔排列地固接該些第一主筋與該些第二主筋，以使 每一條第一主筋與每一條第二主筋之距離固定，且每一固定桿之至少一端設有一組裝部；
兩面防漏網，分別張設於第一主筋與第二主筋的外側；
兩面支撐網，分別張 設於該二防漏網的外側；
複數外接桿，係穿過支撐網與防漏網，且以可拆離方式連接於固定桿的組裝部；以及
複數壓板，具有一穿孔套入對應的外接桿，且位在支撐 網的外側。

11.一種混凝土灌漿牆之施工方法，包含步驟有：
製作複數個桁架；
將複數個桁架組立成一個單元結構體；
於該單元結構體的兩面分別鋪設一張防漏網；
以可拆離方式將二張支撐網結合於該單元結構體上，且該二支撐網分別壓貼在一對應的防漏網外側；
澆置混凝土於該單元結構體中，且混凝土為該二防漏網所侷限；以及
移除該二支撐網。

TW M421351（    間隔器及具有間隔器的混凝土灌漿牆之桁架）
這件新型主要是針對上述發明中「桁架」中鋼筋結構中的構件：「間隔器」，此元件可定義牆厚，進一步提到上述「支撐網」為平織網及金屬網，功效是：沒有拆模的問題、無鋼筋裸露的缺失，更能收減縮外牆粉刷作業時程。

重要圖中元件：間隔器10、固定桿11、擋片12、外接桿14、壓板15。

顯然，拮据的經費、更短的工期要求讓這個廠商成長，並開發出新的技術。

以下內容來自：http://www.tmoh.com.tw/，以及相關公司網頁。
這個工程開始於國際競標，看這些圖案，感覺上每一張成案都會成為台灣的地標之一。

 

最後就這兩張來選，最後選了伊東豐雄：

其他資訊：

台中歌劇院建造執行團隊：
主持建築師 伊東豐雄（Toyo Ito & Associates Architects ）
計畫主持人 楊逸詠建築師（大矩建築師事務所）
第二期主體工程－ 麗明營造股份有限公司
第一期土方工程含臨時抽排水工程－吉隆營造有限公司
楊炳國建築師事務所擔任臺中大都會歌劇院新建工程之營建專業管理團隊(PCM)

Toyo Ito & Associates Architect

大矩聯合建築師事務所

麗明營造

Ron

台灣對軟體專利的態度

美國最高法院對一些類型的專利作出判決時，世界上各國專利局總是要回應一下，包括中華民國智慧財產局，特別是妾身不明的軟體專利，我想各國專利法都有一些不同的態度，本部落格用「態度」兩個字來搜尋可以找到一些！

先參考：
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/06/alice-corporation-pty-ltd-v-cls-bank.html（Alice美國最高法院判例）
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/10/blog-post.html（歐洲與美國軟體專利比較）

軟體專利是否可專利涉及中華民國專利法所定義的「發明」：
第二十一條  發明，指利用自然法則之技術思想之創作。

台灣對軟體專利的態度，先說答案，就是「開放」兩個字，門檻不高，尤其是表明採用了如歐洲對軟體專利的態度：
『歐洲的訴願委員會（BoA）態度為，只要有技術特點（technical character，或說足以與先前技術區隔的進一步技術特點），即便相關的技術手段採用了電腦（形式上），為可專利標的。』

參考中華民國專利審查基準第二篇第十四章「電腦軟體相關發明」，如上討論，電腦軟體相關發明首先要具有「技術性」，才得以獲准專利：『當電腦程式在執行時，若產生超出程式和電腦間正常物理現象的技術功效，則解決問題之手段的整體具有技術性』。

所謂「技術性」，就指非「尋求自然法則」、「數學公式」、「商業方法」、「人為規則」、「資訊揭示」、「美術創作」本身。

申請專利之電腦軟體相關發明不具技術性而不符合發明之定義的類型：

1. 非利用自然法則者，如人為計畫安排、商業方法本身，如果是藉助硬體資源（如電腦、網路）實現商業方法，則需要進一步判斷是否「簡單利用電腦」？
2. 非技術思想者，如「單純的資訊揭示」（如螢幕上的佈局或安排），資料格式本身僅靜態的記憶體配置，不具技術性；若電腦系統與資料格式的互動結合後"產生技術方面的功效"，符合發明的定義。如「簡單利用電腦（僅採用電腦的固有能力）」，在請求項中簡單附加電腦軟體或硬體，不符發明定義；若經結合電腦後克服了技術上的困難，或利用技術領域之手段解決問題，而對整體系統產生技術領域相關功效，則符合發明之定義。
   在判斷是否簡單利用電腦時，應考量電腦軟體或硬體是否為解決問題所不可或缺的一部分，以及電腦軟體或硬體的特殊性。

以上定義電腦軟體相關發明的「技術性」與一般發明案所判斷是否具有技術性的流程一致：

範例：
此案遭遇不符美國101規定的答辯中強調與硬體的連結，並且說明書特定段落揭示其中軟硬體互動，以及達成的功效，加上適當修正，最後也是為可准專利的發明。




後語：
台灣專利局對於軟體相關發明的審查少數會直接質疑其是否符合發明定義，多數為技術討論以及進行檢索與審查，相對與美國門檻較低，比較不會如美國專利局對軟體相關發明審查時不時地會搬出35USC101來核駁。因此，撰寫相關專利文件時，反而要以美國案為考量，盡量在請求項中連結到特殊硬體，或是描述所達成的技術效果。

智慧局對CLS v. Alice案例分析：
http://www.tipo.gov.tw/dl.asp?fileName=39314594675.pdf

Ron

答辯歷史限制專利範圍的案例討論 - University of Texas v. BENQ, et al. (Fed. Cir. 2008)

這是一個源自侵權不成立的訴訟結果的上訴案件，當CAFC法官進行專利範圍解釋時（claim construction），參考了系爭專利獲准專利的歷史，認為系爭專利在審查歷史中"為了克服先前技術"而替換了一個關鍵字，讓專利範圍不再適用均等論不能擴大解釋(updated on Feb. 17, 2015)，使得侵權不成立。

換言之，這是一件「均等論」不適用的案例。

案件資訊：
上訴人（侵權訴訟原告）：University of Texas
原地方法院被告：BenQ ...等
判決時間：7/24/2008
系爭專利：US4,674,112（Character pattern recognition and communications apparatus）

從判決文首頁來看，不少公司涉及此案。


US4,674,112揭露一種通訊裝置（電話）上輸入訊息的技術，就是電話除了一般語音通話外，其中更設有一種解碼器，為的是能夠在當時有限的通訊設備（載有有限的鍵盤、訊息處理能力、記憶體）中辨識使用者透過幾個按鍵的鍵盤所按下的訊息，目的之一是形成指令。當使用者利用傳統電話上的按鍵輸入時，可以搭配其中"#"、"*"等按鍵，搭配兩個以上的按鍵字元，可以形成有意義的訊息，此案技術就是在處理這類訊號，使得在很多組合中取得有效的資訊。

提告的專利範圍為claim 10：
使用者利用電話上約12個按鍵輸入訊息，電話內解碼器接收後，形成為二元碼，比對預設的碼，這些預設碼都表示一些預設有意義的訊息，這裡稱為「syllabic element」（擬翻為「音節元素」），之後從比對符合的一或多個"syllabic element"形成訊息中的字（word）。
10. A method of communicating, utilizing a signal-generating keyboard where at least some of the keys represent two or more alphabetic characters, comprising the steps of:

inputting a word into said keyboard by depressing a single key for each alphabetic character of said word;

transmitting signals generated by the key depressions;

receiving said transmitted signals and decoding the signals into binary code;

matching said binary code with one or more pre-programmed codes, each pre-programmed code being representative of a syllabic element;

Forming a representation of the word from the one or more syllabic elements represented by the matched one or more pre-programmed codes; and

outputting the word representation in a form perceptible to the user.

爭議關鍵：syllabic element，在系爭專利審查歷史中，遭遇過一次核駁OA，在1985年的案例中留下了一些修正筆跡（如下圖），看來在"matching"步驟中將原本"one or more syllabic elements"改為"a syllabic element"，最後將"combining"改為"forming a representation of the word from the one or more syllabic elements ..."。

以上修正造成法院（地方法院）解釋時，將已刪除的「one or more syllabic elements」排除解釋範圍（關鍵是「one or more」改為「a」...）

判決文中確認，答辯歷史過程的修改都是可能限縮專利範圍，特別是針對專利性的答辯過程，

結論：
最後，CAFC同意地院的專利範圍解釋，請求項所載音節元素為一個音節的字元群組，可以包括一個字（word），或是與其他音節組合形成的字，而修改後申請專利範圍界定「音節元素以每一個預設碼表示」，此意味所要比對的字彙（vocabulary）僅包括音節元素。而在被告的具有相關語句輸入能力的裝置中，並非僅以音節元素來取得字彙，侵權不成立。

後語：
答辯過程形成禁反言（或如此案放棄某種影響專利範圍的寫法updated on Feb. 17, 2015）常常是無法避免（除非已經預測侵權訴訟的對象），並且專利說明書也是對手用來限縮專利範圍解釋的來源（本案也是），但是說明書與修正都是形成專利的要件。我覺得，要在一個技術上取得比較完整的專利範圍，可能「不止一件專利的佈局」是必要手段之一，透過不同專利所表示的利用各種範疇來界定一個發明（技術）。

其實撰寫專利說明書、請求項時不用太過緊張，忠於技術本身仍是王道，答辯歷史禁反言有時仍有轉圜的餘地，比如案例：http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/05/two-way-media-v-at-sa-09-c-476-wd-tx.html（此案答辯過程中並未依照審查委員提示的可核准範圍的方式修正）

判決文：
http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/images/stories/opinions-orders/07-1388.pdf
資料參考：
http://patentlyo.com/patent/2008/07/applying-festo.html

Ron

FLIPBOARD - 產品與專利

FLIPBOARD - 產品與專利

Flipboard是個不錯的行動內容閱覽器，可以將常看的網頁以RSS讀入，集合在一起閱讀，更在閱覽時可以知道更多相關的網誌、網站，也可跟社群帳號結合得到更多即時社群訊息。最早視為iPad的最佳數位內容閱覽器，特色是閱覽過程與一般讀雜誌的經驗差不多，有招牌的翻頁動作，後來適用在更多平板裝置、手機，還有網頁版，用同一個帳號可以在不同的裝置上同步取得自己所訂閱的內容。

Flipboard, Inc.的專利佈局也不少，只是到現在為止就三件美國核准專利，這裡涉及純軟體專利的寫法，可以拿來學習。

US8,935,629 Systems and methods for flipping through content（翻頁的技術）
閱讀時，「翻頁」是個很重要的動作，Flipboard就依據內容分頁，且提供整頁漸漸翻動的體驗，而不是生硬地轉換到下一頁，或是直接將網頁內容灌入閱讀器而已。

Claim 1：
1. A method, implemented in a device having touch hardware, for enabling a user to flip through a plurality of pages, the method comprising: 

receiving a plurality of gesture inputs via the touch hardware within a predetermined period of time; and 

executing a flip transition animation in response to each received gesture input, 
wherein execution of each transition animation sends a page inflight along a flight path, each page comprising first and second halves separated by an axis, 
wherein a half of an inflight page is mated to a half of the different page, as the inflight page progresses along the flight path, the mated halves of the inflight page and the different page flip about the axis, and a position of the mated halves within the flight path dictates viewable portions of the inflight page and the different page, 
wherein the viewable portions of the inflight page and the different page change as the inflight page progresses along the flight path, and wherein the predetermined period of time is such that at least two pages are simultaneously inflight. 

專利請求項1界定一種在觸控硬體上翻頁的方法，先接收到觸控手勢，比如翻頁手勢，接著執行翻動或點選的動作，翻頁時產生「翻頁動畫」，翻頁進行過程（進行到一半）可以同時看到前一頁與後一頁的內容，且前後兩頁的影像會互相消長。這樣可以形成如一般翻閱紙本書的視覺感受。

請求項1如果要講tied to machine，大約僅有觸控硬體與接收到手勢輸入的隱含訊號處理，整體來看，有點像是蘋果軟體專利的描述方式，強調使用者使用經驗。

US8,872,855 Adjusting orientation of content regions in a page layout（內容自動轉向的技術）
Flipboard閱覽器特色是以陣列型式排列的「內容區域」顯示每個訂閱的內容連結，而轉動裝置時，其中排列會依照長寬比修正，且保有每個內容區域的特色。此專利揭露一種調整內容轉向的方法，每一個內容區域彼此之間有設定好的關係與間隔，顯示時，以一個轉向顯示出來，並有個參考原點。若是顯示裝置轉動，重新訂出顯示畫面（template）以及各個內容區域的位置，以轉動後方向顯示出來。

Claim 1：
1. A method of adjusting the orientation of content regions in a page layout, the method comprising: 

selecting a page template from a plurality of page templates, each page template including one or more slots specifying spatial positioning of content regions relative to each other; 

displaying content in a plurality of the content regions of the page template in a first orientation on a display of a client device; 

identifying a reference point of the display of the client device; 

responsive to a rotation of the display of the client device from the first orientation to a second orientation, determining positions of the content regions of the page template in the second orientation relative to each other so that the plurality of content regions are presented having locations in the second orientation matching positions of the content regions in the first orientation relative to each other based on the reference point; 

counter-rotating the content within the plurality of content regions to offset the rotation of the display and to maintain a constant orientation of the content within each content region with respect to the reference point; 

modifying one or more dimensions of a content region based on the rotation of the display of the client device from the first orientation to the second orientation; 

modifying a layout of the content presented in the content region based on the modified one or more dimensions of the content region; and 

displaying content in the plurality of content regions of the page template in the second orientation based on the determined positions of content regions of the page template in the second orientation relative to each other, the displayed content including the modified content presented in the content region having the modified one or more dimensions. 

從專利請求項1界定的方法來看，其中涉及的硬體就是閱讀器，相關方法就圍繞在此閱讀器轉向而改變，與硬體的連結算是很具體，就是軟體與硬體連結的樣本。


US8,788,925 Authorized syndicated descriptions of linked web content displayed with links in user-generated content（觀看時自動連結原始網頁取得內容的技術）
Flipboard的特色之一就是每個內容區域連結是使用者所訂閱的內容，區域內可顯示出即時最新的內容縮圖，也就是其中藏有「連結與取得」的程式，隨時連結內容來源取得最新的資訊，特別是從取得的資訊中「選擇」出要顯示為圖示的內容。

Claim 1：
1. A method executed by a processor for obtaining a corpus of authorized syndicated descriptions of web content, the method comprising: 

obtaining items from a plurality of feeds from one or more sources, each item comprising a link to a content page and a description of content included in the content page; 

for each of one or more items from one or more of the feeds, accessing the content page associated with a link included in an item; 

analyzing metadata associated with the accessed content page to identify an indication of a source from which the content page was obtained; 

determining whether the analyzed metadata associated with the accessed content page includes a pointer to the source from which a feed including the item was obtained; 

responsive to determining that the accessed content page includes a pointer to the source from which the feed including the item was obtained, recording a description of content from the item for use as an authorized syndicated description of the item; and 

responsive to determining that the analyzed metadata associated with the accessed content page does not include the pointer to the source feed from which a feed including the item was obtained, checking a root of the domain for the content page for the pointer to the source feed from which the feed including the item was obtained; and 

generating a page including a selected item from the obtained items, the page including a pointer to the feed from which the selected item was obtained responsive to the description of content from the selected item being recorded as an authorized syndicated description of the selected item. 

初步看來，此項範圍並沒有硬體連結的特徵，頂多是有內容來源，不過，其中特色似符合轉換為可專利的技術，也就是可以取得連結的內容決定顯示的頁面。

如下圖，顯示flipboard閱覽器中一頁的內容簡述，其中圖式336與一部份內容335都是從原始內容所取得，這就是這件專利的技術。

Ron