Until now, Apple has had several attempts to block sales of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus terminal in various countries around the world, but in one recent trialfiled in the USA, the company seems more determined than ever to attack the Google/Samsung terminal, but mainly the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Apple invokes no less than 4 patents that it considers essential and which refer to: the possibility of searching for information on several sources using a single interface and Apple brings up Siri; the option to detect data, such as a phone number, in a web page or an email and the option to make a link through which an order can be activated (call, send SMS); the action of unlocking a terminal through the slide-to-unlock operation; and finally we have the patent for the automatic correction of phrases:
- US Patent No. 5,946,647 – this patent was filed in 1996 (issued 1999) and covers detecting data, such as a phone number, in an email or web page, creating a link to that data, and initiating an action like calling the phone number when the user selects the link. The data could also include addresses, dates, etc.
- US Patent No. 8,086,604 – this patent claims priority back to 2000 (issued Dec. 2011) and covers searching multiple sources of information (on device and elsewhere) through a single search interface, such as Siri. Apple specifically touts Siri in its injunction request, but also argues that a unified text search is covered by the patent as well.
- US Patent No. 8,046,721 – this patent claims priority back to 2005 (issued Oct. 2011) and covers Apple's signature slide-to-unlock feature. While Apple already has patent coverage on an image unlock feature, this newest patent is obviously intended to be a bit broader — likely addressing potential workarounds implemented by Google and OEMs over the last couple of years.
- US Patent No. 8,074,172 – this patent was filed in 2007 (issued Dec. 2011) and covers providing word suggestions while the user types on a touches
In December of this year, Apple managed to win a lawsuit against the HTC company based on patent 5,946,647 and it is possible that now Samsung will be affected by its use. Regardless of which patents could bring a victory to Apple, it is clear that now things are getting complicated and the company is becoming much more aggressive in the fight against Android terminal manufacturers, but especially against Google, which supports Motorola.
