Apple Denied Trademark for Multi-Touch

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The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board at the United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied Apple's application for a trademark on multi-touch.

Thus, from the foregoing, we find that “multi-touch” not only identifies the technology, but also describes how a user of the goods operates the device. Based on the evidence discussed above, as well as other evidence in the record, we agree with the examining attorney that MULTI-TOUCH indeed is highly descriptive of a feature of the identified goods. We now consider whether applicant has submitted sufficient evidence to establish acquired distinctiveness of this highly descriptive term.
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Now I can finally give "two fingers" to Apple, without fearing a response from their lawyers, whew.
 
Unfortunately the judge banned the media from attending, thus the image of a US PTO attorney giving an example of the "stink finger" as prior art will never be seen by the public.
 
You mean some one was actually awake at the patent and trademark office.
has hell frozen over.lol
 
Two words.

THANK GAWD!!!!!!!

It was bad enough when some a-hole patented the song "happy birthday" and made every reseraunt in the county pay up or stop using it. Just think of how bad it would be if the ultimate patent troll's got a hold of the ultimate patent!!!! Hell, they even went after the movie iRobot!!!! :rolleyes:
 
They were turned down for a trademark the word "multi-touch." This was not about a patent for the actual function.
 
Gibbage said:
Two words.

THANK GAWD!!!!!!!

It was bad enough when some a-hole patented the song "happy birthday" and made every reseraunt in the county pay up or stop using it. Just think of how bad it would be if the ultimate patent troll's got a hold of the ultimate patent!!!! Hell, they even went after the movie iRobot!!!! :rolleyes:
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problem there is that somebody wrote that song, yes it is simple, but somebody still wrote the song and owned the rights to it. I see nothing wrong with that, you are more than welcome to make up your own birthday song.

TwistedAegis said:
They were turned down for a trademark the word "multi-touch." This was not about a patent for the actual function.
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still nice to see somebody actually thinking
 
Guess the people at the patent office will only be able to afford to give their children 1 GTR this year. Sign of the times :(
 
Multi-touch as a term has been around forever. Shows you how opportunistic they are.
 
Trade marks have to be more than a basic description. Apple would have had better luck patenting the act of touching something with more than one finger.

Also, popular use of a trademark can cause a company to lose a trademark.
 
Exavior said:
problem there is that somebody wrote that song, yes it is simple, but somebody still wrote the song and owned the rights to it. I see nothing wrong with that, you are more than welcome to make up your own birthday song.
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Two sisters wrote the tune... 87 years ago! ...and they didn't write the lyrics!! ...and they are both dead!!1!

Seriously copyright protection is @#$%ed.
 
chinesepiratefood said:
The worst part? Some of the Apple nuts in the comments actually disagree with the ruling...
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Something along the lines of "Apple invented multi-touch". Proud Apple enthusiasts look to your peers when wondering why the anti-apple gauntlets are thrown down so frequently. :p

Did Apple ever get the "AppStore" trademark secured?
 
TwistedAegis said:
They were turned down for a trademark the word "multi-touch." This was not about a patent for the actual function.
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Yeah, for a moment I was thinking patent too. Pretty sure this is one of the things Samsung is getting bent over for by Apple (the patent, not trademark). So guess this doesn't help them one bit. Bummer.

I think it's funny Motorola's Xoom 2 tablet has an octagon like shape to it. Probably trying to avoid Apple's patent on all shapes with four sides.
 
While I like to see any patent fail application (basically, most original idea's have already been put on paper), I've seen far looser patents get approved that have wreaked havoc on innovation.

Therein lies the problem with the patent system. Total inconsistency.
 
Wow, so there is a god, or at least a judge, who doesn't just frivolously give trademarks to Apple. :eek:
 
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