Nokia’s gesture based user interface patent discovered

Apple has pretty much sewn up the whole multi-touch user interface malarkey on the iPhone via a series of patents it registered during the device’s development. This obviously makes it impossible for other companies to imitate any of the functions without incurring a whooping great bill from Apple.

But that doesn’t mean that companies can’t try and work around the patents by coming up with some ideas of their own which is exactly what Nokia has been doing behind closed doors for some time now. A patent unearthed by Unwired View that dates back to six months post iPhone announcement, indicates that Nokia has all manner of wacky ideas planned for its hotly tipped S60 touch interface.

Besides workarounds for many of the basic functions that Apple has tied up legally Nokia has also developed an interface method that doesn’t even require you to touch the screen where the phone reacts to hand gestures made in three dimensional space and can even track the movement of your hand. Sounds very space age indeed though we can’t help but feel we would look like a berk if caught trying to conduct what would look for all the world like a primitive form of sign language with our handset. Still very interesting though.

(Via Unwired View)

Related articles:

1. Apple sue HTC for 20 iPhone patent infringements
   It seems nowadays a week can’t go by without one...
2. Nokia patents new photo scribbling software
   We haven’t had a good prod around with a patent...
3. Nokia patents ‘touchless’ gesture-based interface
   It’s something of a foregone conclusion that Nokia are planning,...
4. The future for Samsung phones: gesture-based UI and water-powered batteries
   Samsung might have just released its new Soul handset...
5. Nokia thinks outside the box with virtual keyboard patent
   No matter how advanced phones become the one thing that...