HardOCP News
[H] News
- Joined
- Dec 31, 1969
- Messages
- 0
Dear U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, you do not have to rubber stamp everything Apple submits. Oh yeah, Dick Tracy would also like to have a word with you guys about this patent.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
There is no sufficient facepalm image made that captures what just happened.
So does that mean my ESD wrist-worn device is now illegal?
Fuck me running. 1, the patent system is run by fucktards. 2, Apple is run by people even greasier than the fucktards at the USPO. 3, I need to patent a device that allows for the input of characters into a digital system via finger action.
Fricking insane.
I'll see your patent, and raise you one means of moving electrons along a solid, liquid, gaseous, or plasma medium, or any combination thereof, from one point to another. There, I just patented electricity.
It's pretty sad that people think Apple literally patented all wrist worn electronics devices. If people think the patent system is broken and want to change it, it would be useful if they actually understood it in the first place.
This whole first to patent thing has got to stop.
'Wrist-Worn Electronic Device?' INVALID!
digital watches and heart rate monitors have existed way before this patent was conceived.
It's pretty sad that people think Apple literally patented all wrist worn electronics devices. If people think the patent system is broken and want to change it, it would be useful if they actually understood it in the first place.
The thing is everyone around here is an Android fanbo y. So the instant Steve puts "Apple" everyone stops reading and posts about what they THINK the article is about.
No one seems to be reading the patent, and the linked article does a TERRIBAD job of describing it. They obviously didn't read the patent, either. This isn't for a watch, smart or dumb, for sports, with sensors or otherwise. It's for the *wrist band itself* into which they propose putting electronics. Essentially, they are turning the wrist band into a docking station, with extra stuff, like more sensors, or batteries, etc. It makes a lot of sense, and I know of no other company doing this - at least not out in the wild where a google search will find it. So in short, shut yer' troll holes, y'all, and read.
Personally, I'd like to see something like this come to fruition. I would love to have an Android version of a PipBoy 3000...
Seems like the U.S. Patent Office is more interested in collecting fees for each patent it approves instead of the validity. Don't they, then, collect more fees if a patent is challenged?
What about the calculator watch I bought back in 1985?? Wouldn't that be a 'Wrist-Worn Electronic Device'???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator_watch
It's actually a lot worse than that. USPTO interpretations of law allow a company to lock up the entire idea by filing a new patent, even one mostly based on an expired patent, as long as the new claim(s) have no exact matching claims in prior filings. For example, Amazon's take a picture on a white background patent was granted because Amazon included an angle for claims in its filing. Seriously.This whole first to patent thing has got to stop.
I think they changed it already, to something worse
What about the calculator watch I bought back in 1985?? Wouldn't that be a 'Wrist-Worn Electronic Device'???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator_watch
Clickbait article title, as is SOP. The scope of the patent is adding electrical circuitry into the wristband to add and enhance electronic hardware and software within an electronic watch. The patent itself references which design and electronic device patents this new patent incorporates. This is not a patent for watches or anything like that. All it does is give a glimpse of how Apple plans to design their iWatch or whatever i<insert generic item name here> branding they're going to use.
I will admit that the title of the patent itself is miisleading and could be considered Clickbait in its own right .
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic wristband to be worn on a wrist of a user, the electronic wristband comprising: a central portion having a receptacle area configured to receive and electrically connect to a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device including a display and being independently useable apart from the electronic wristband to perform a first set of functions; and at least one band portion coupled to the central portion and suitable to assist with securing the electronic wristband to the wrist of the user, the at least one band portion including a wireless communication transceiver provided internal to the at least one band portion and operatively connected to the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is received in the receptacle area, wherein the mobile electronic device, when received in the receptacle area, is operable to perform a second set of functions, the second set of functions including all of the first set of functions and further including wirelessly communicating user input received by the mobile electronic device to a second electronic device via the wireless communication transceiver.
2. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic wristband further comprises: an electrical connector provided at the receptacle area and used at least in part to removably secure the mobile electronic device to the receptacle area.
3. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 2, wherein the wireless communication transceiver provided internal to the at least one band portion is electrically connected to electronic circuitry within the mobile electronic device via the electrical connector.
4. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one band portion further includes at least one of an accelerometer, an antenna, a GPS receiver, or a haptic device.
5. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of functions of the mobile electronic device includes media storage and playback.
6. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the display of the mobile electronic device includes a touch screen.
7. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the central portion includes at least one electrical component.
8. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrical component included in the central portion includes at least one of a haptic device, a printed circuit substrate, or an accelerometer.
9. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrical component provided in the central portion includes at least a battery.
10. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrical component provided in the central portion includes at least a haptic device.
11. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 10, wherein the haptic device is provided adjacent a bottom surface of the central portion that is placed against the wrist of the user when the electronic wristband is being worn on the wrist of the user.
12. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 11, wherein the haptic device is configured to controllably provide a physical alert to the user via the wrist of the user.
13. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 12, wherein the haptic device includes at least a piezoelectric device.
14. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrical component includes a sensor and the second set of functions further includes determining the user input based at least in part on monitoring the sensor to detect an arm or wrist gesture.
15. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 14, wherein the sensor includes one or both of an accelerometer or a gyroscope.
16. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic wristband includes a battery, wherein the battery is configured to supply electrical power to the wireless communication transceiver.
17. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 16, wherein the battery is further configured to supply electrical power to the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is provided in the receptacle area.
18. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one band portion includes at least a first band and a second band, each of the first band and the second band coupled to the central portion.
19. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 18, wherein the first band includes the wireless communication transceiver, and the second band includes at least one second band electrical component.
20. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 19, wherein the first band includes at least a first antenna, and wherein the at least one second band electrical component includes at least a second antenna.
21. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 1, wherein the second set of functions further includes receiving, via the wireless communication transceiver, a notification from the second electronic device and presenting the notification to the user.
22. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 21, wherein the notification is presented on the display of the mobile electronic device.
23. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 21, wherein the second electronic device is a mobile phone and the notification pertains to an incoming call at the mobile phone.
24. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 23, wherein the user input includes an indication to accept or decline the incoming call.
25. An electronic wristband as recited in claim 21, wherein the notification pertains to an alert generated by an application operating on the second electronic device.