US invalidates Apple’s multi-touch technologies patent

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has made a preliminary ruling that invalidates Apple’s patent on multi-touch technologies, which has been dubbed “Steve Jobs` patent” because he helped coined it.

The office had invalidated earlier in October Apple’s bounce-back patent, which governs a touchscreen feature in which the screen snaps back into place after the user has scrolled to the end of a page or document. Against this backdrop, the latest ruling will likely have a negative impact on Apple’s litigation strategies against Samsung Electronics, Motorola and other rivals.

Foreign media on Sunday said the patent office ruled in its preliminary judgment that the patent on Apple’s technologies recognizing finger movements on touchscreens, such as the touchscreen device, method and graphical user interface utilizing heuristics, was invalid. The office apparently judged that the patent`s technologies were not innovative compared to others and thus did not warrant protection.

Samsung said the latest invalidation of Apple’s patents will not likely affect the case at the San Jose Northern District Court because Apple can appeal the preliminary judgment. The Korean company, however, said the rulings can help reduce the fine or prevent an import ban and turn a situation favorable to itself in the following appellate trial.

nex@donga.com