4 ms·

One thing that surprises me in the images was that one of them is exactly "Where to?" by tap tap tap: http://taptaptap.com/#whereto http://taptaptap.com/#where

One thing that surprises me in the images was that one of them is exactly "Where to?" by tap tap tap: http://taptaptap.com/#whereto http://taptaptap.com/#whereto

metachris 16y ago
Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-patent-travel-app.jpg http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")
- unfletch 16y ago
  That's a cropped image. The actual patent image is here: http://aiw1.uspto.gov:80/.DImg?Docid=20100190510&PageNum=7&IDKey=3ABEB6C62D60&ImgFormat=tif http://aiw1.uspto.gov:80/.DImg?Docid=20100190510&PageNum... (Open it in something that supports TIFF if your browser doesn't display it. Photoshop worked for me.) In the un-cropped version you can see that the image is labeled #602. Here's the only part of the patent body where 602 is referenced: For example, an interface such as interface 602 can be provided on a user's electronic device. Through interface 602, a user can search for and view information on the various airport services available in the airport. It might not have been proper for Apple to copy another company's work for illustration in their patent, but the copied UI is for illustration of one possible UI for the described app. IANAL, but it doesn't read to me like they're trying to claim invention of the UI.
- jlgosse 16y ago
  This can only mean one of two things: Either Apple is being extremely hostile and alienating one of their top developers, or they are preparing themselves for an acquisition of taptaptap in the immediate future.
  - sachinag 16y ago
    They'd have to pry it from Disney.
    - Timothee 16y ago
      I think you're mistaking tap tap tap and Tapulous, no? Tapulous is the maker of the Tap Tap Revenge series that was recently bought by Disney. tap tap tap is another very successful iPhone app company but to my knowledge they haven't been bought out. (and with their huge marketing machine, they would let it be known)
      - jlgosse 16y ago
        After thinking about it and talking with some of my colleagues, I think it would be less of a talent acquisition and more of an IP acquisition. And it would have to be a pretty valuable one at this point, as taptaptap are making some serious cash right now.
    - die_sekte 16y ago
      That should not be that hard. Steve Jobs is the single largest shareholder of Disney and on Disney's board.
- sahaj 16y ago
  maybe they are trying to protect the app, so that folks on other platforms (cough-google-cough) don't rip it off?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - mortenjorck 16y ago
    The goal of Section 3.3.1, pursued through patents.
  - jmaygarden 16y ago
    If a patent is filed by someone other than the inventor then it is void. They would have to put the taptaptap people on the patent.
joshwa 16y ago
I work for a major online retailer, and their mobile shopping patent application appears to have lifted screens from our mobile shopping app. I've forwarded this story to our head of merchandising to see if we will submit our prior art on this...

One thing that surprises me in the images was that one of them is exactly "Where to?" by tap tap tap: http://taptaptap.com/#whereto http://taptaptap.com/#whereto

metachris 16y ago

Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-patent-travel-app.jpg http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")

unfletch 16y ago
That's a cropped image. The actual patent image is here: http://aiw1.uspto.gov:80/.DImg?Docid=20100190510&PageNum=7&IDKey=3ABEB6C62D60&ImgFormat=tif http://aiw1.uspto.gov:80/.DImg?Docid=20100190510&PageNum... (Open it in something that supports TIFF if your browser doesn't display it. Photoshop worked for me.) In the un-cropped version you can see that the image is labeled #602. Here's the only part of the patent body where 602 is referenced: For example, an interface such as interface 602 can be provided on a user's electronic device. Through interface 602, a user can search for and view information on the various airport services available in the airport. It might not have been proper for Apple to copy another company's work for illustration in their patent, but the copied UI is for illustration of one possible UI for the described app. IANAL, but it doesn't read to me like they're trying to claim invention of the UI.
jlgosse 16y ago
This can only mean one of two things: Either Apple is being extremely hostile and alienating one of their top developers, or they are preparing themselves for an acquisition of taptaptap in the immediate future.
- sachinag 16y ago
  They'd have to pry it from Disney.
  - Timothee 16y ago
    I think you're mistaking tap tap tap and Tapulous, no? Tapulous is the maker of the Tap Tap Revenge series that was recently bought by Disney. tap tap tap is another very successful iPhone app company but to my knowledge they haven't been bought out. (and with their huge marketing machine, they would let it be known)
    - jlgosse 16y ago
      After thinking about it and talking with some of my colleagues, I think it would be less of a talent acquisition and more of an IP acquisition. And it would have to be a pretty valuable one at this point, as taptaptap are making some serious cash right now.
  - die_sekte 16y ago
    That should not be that hard. Steve Jobs is the single largest shareholder of Disney and on Disney's board.
sahaj 16y ago
maybe they are trying to protect the app, so that folks on other platforms (cough-google-cough) don't rip it off?
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- mortenjorck 16y ago
  The goal of Section 3.3.1, pursued through patents.
- jmaygarden 16y ago
  If a patent is filed by someone other than the inventor then it is void. They would have to put the taptaptap people on the patent.

joshwa 16y ago

I work for a major online retailer, and their mobile shopping patent application appears to have lifted screens from our mobile shopping app. I've forwarded this story to our head of merchandising to see if we will submit our prior art on this...