Apple Gets Patent On A Rectangle With Rounded Corners

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Someone at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office needs to be kicked in the nuts. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

The US Patent and Trademark Office issued patent no. D670,286 to Apple yesterday and it really does cover the outer edge shape of a device. There's no other way to look at it. As we've explained before, the scope of a design patent is defined by the drawings, and the solid lines are what counts —the dashed lines are just there for context. As you can see below, the 'D286 patent has a lot of gratuitous context but just a single solid line defining what is being protected.
 
I guess apple is finally moving out of the making things business and switching over to suing other companies full time.

How can I get a patent on anything with right angles?
 
fuck it, someone get the exact degree angles on those corners and adjust them within a 1-2 degree change. Fuck you apple you may have patented rounded edges but you didn't patent all rounded edges.
 
Epic facepalm.

The patent system needs to be abolished and replaced by something non-retarded.
 
Seriously?! Someone at the Patent office just got a new New iPad and Mac Pro.

Shapes? That's what can be patented these days? Time to trash the whole thing and start over.
 
Next thing you know, Apple will get a patent on "famous people life expiration" because of Steve Jobs, meaning that no famous person could die without infringing on Apple's patent. They'll sue all up and down California over that one. Knowing the PTO in this country, they'd probably get it.
 
I'm going to patent a straight line segment. then I will sue all that use a straight line in any design.
 
Epic facepalm.

The patent system needs to be abolished and replaced by something non-retarded.

I agree with the idea 100% BUT the problem is even if Congress does away with it tomorrow we would count on the same retards that gave us a 16k+ page tax code to come up with a better system.

Hell considering how Apple operates we would probably see all the Congresscritters in new private jets and the new law would cover 10k pages that basically boiled down to "If Apple asks for it, it's theirs!"
 
this is awesome. Now we will start seeing ovalish tablets and trapezoid tablets.
 
I guess Apple's 5-10 year business model, and their a primary source of revenue, has been reduced to patent trolling. I want a t-shirt that says: What Apple? Fuck Apple.
 
If the line's not straight, or if it has Duct Tape on the edge, does that still count as infringing?
 
Seriously, is there a dummies guide to filing patents? I need to start filing patents Monday morning on just the most utterly stupid shit. and hopefully something (all of it from the looks) will make it through and I can just sue everyone that infringes on it.


My first patent: the penis shape(s).


Oh, you have a penis, f**k you, pay me!
 
Seriously?! Someone at the Patent office just got a new New iPad and Mac Pro.

Shapes? That's what can be patented these days? Time to trash the whole thing and start over.

No no no, they probably got a new Ipad mini.... because that would make more sense along the illogical thought process line of usefulness.
 
OMG! Apple invented the WHEEL! It is just a square with mostly rounded corners! They are going to start suing all the car manufacturers!

I see the master plan already. They realized their maps suck compared to google, but if they can prevent all google streetview cars from operating, they can potentially catch up!

Genius Tim Cook!
 
They're just filling the pockets of lawyers. This won't hold when it is brought to court.
 
Epic facepalm.

The patent system needs to be abolished and replaced by something non-retarded.

Yeah no kidding. This is just getting more and more retarded.

this is why american industry is going in the gutter lately...

Pretty much. Nobody can do business anymore without worrying about getting sued for something idiotic. I have some ideas for software and products I could potentially make a prototype of and then hire a manufacturing plant to make, but I choose not to because I just don't want to deal with all the lawsuits and crap. Patents only protect big companies who have the resources to deal with them and hurt the small ones. The whole system needs to be abolished. We need to encourage new industry and new growth of smaller companies, not discourage it.
 
Fk, I have a face with straight lines with corners here and there.
Apple's gonna rip my face off... or sue me :(.
I shouldn't even facepalm before asking apple.
 
So they have pretty much become corporate level patent trolls?
 
Quick, someone patent a hexagonal-like shape smartphone with round edges. Apple can't sue you since it's not rectangular!

Be sure to emphasize bold, solid lines defining its shape, and dashed, evenly space lines to show possible contour of the phone.
 
This is stupid. They actually think they are going to patent a reveal line around a curve. Someone at the patent office doesn't need a kick in the fucking nuts, they need to be dropped out of the top floor window.
 
I'm preparing a patent on a circle. Don't any of you get any bright ideas to steal it from me!
 
Oh that's just great, here we go again!


fuck it, someone get the exact degree angles on those corners and adjust them within a 1-2 degree change. Fuck you apple you may have patented rounded edges but you didn't patent all rounded edges.
I thought of this the last time I read about the whole rounded corner BS, it makes perfect sense.

I'm going to patent a straight line segment. then I will sue all that use a straight line in any design.
Way to one up them in the innovation game! :p

Seriously, is there a dummies guide to filing patents? I need to start filing patents Monday morning on just the most utterly stupid shit. and hopefully something (all of it from the looks) will make it through and I can just sue everyone that infringes on it. I call dibs on all colors!

My first patent: the penis shape(s).



Oh, you have a penis, f**k you, pay me!
I thought "I'll patent the shape of the human body, just before I read this.

OMG! Apple invented the WHEEL! It is just a square with mostly rounded corners! They are going to start suing all the car manufacturers!

I see the master plan already. They realized their maps suck compared to google, but if they can prevent all google streetview cars from operating, they can potentially catch up!

Genius Tim Cook!
O's have rounded corners! Imagine all the cash they'll make just from suing Google for their name. :eek: That's two (2) O's, that's two (2) infringements per infringement, times oh let's just round up to a google. :p

My monitor is a rectangle with rounded corners too
Crap, so are all of mine!

I'm preparing a patent on a circle. Don't any of you get any bright ideas to steal it from me!
Looks like you'll get all the Google money I mentioned earlier since O's are essentially circles.


Eureka! That's it! I'm patenting anything that uses lines of any kind! :D
And since a curve is essentially a series of very short straight lines...I'll rule the freakin' Multiverse! Oh wait, DraginDime's patent of a straight line segment will most likely superseed this. :mad:
 
This will be thrown out in court at the first challenge as "obvious" to an expert in the field. The shape of the device is not innovative, especially if it is widely accepted to make a rectangular device already.

This patent fails the non-obvious smell test, and wouldn't hold up in court with any competent IP lawyer as a plaintiff.
 
Obviously no one at the patent office that approved this had ever seen an etch-a-sketch before... :rolleyes:
So they have pretty much become corporate level patent trolls?
I'd say they were already personally, but yeah I'd say this part the extra frosting on the greed cake that they want to throw at everyone's face. Either that or make it up all pretty and then explain how they can't sell it to you unless it is at a huge markup, and oh yeah you'll have to wait because there are supply problems. (read as: We don't feel like shipping out enough to satisfy demand because there would be none.) Sad part is the fact that there are plenty of Apple fanboys out there who will probably applaud/defend this as yet another sign of how innovative and awesome Apple is. :(
 
Next. Apple. Will. Patent. Overuse. Of. Periods.

T.h.i.s. c.h.a.n.g.e.s. e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. a.g.a.i.n.
 
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