Microsoft Patents Extensible Filtered Lists User Interface

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/blog/?p=688' target='_blank'>http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/blog/?p=688</a><br /><br /></div><i>"A new patent application published yesterday and assigned to Microsoft shows a mobile phone interface that bears striking similarities to the iPhone. The patent, filed in July 2007, is entitled Extensible filtered lists for mobile device user interface and discusses how mobile phones are so full of features that they have become extremely complicated to use. A problem that is “exacerbated by the generally limited user interfaces” on modern phones. Interestingly some of the screenshots provided in the patent appear to show a user interface very similar to the way the iPhone handles images and music albums as well as the famous visual voicemail application."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/microsoft-patent-oct12.gif" /><br /><br />The <a href="http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&p=1&S1=%28phone+AND+microsoft.AS.%29&OS=phone+AND+AN/microsoft&RS=(phone+AND+AN/microsoft">government document has all of the details</a>, but I want to debunk this Digg-bait article: Microsoft is not copying the iPhone as this article tries to imply. It's silly to think that just because the iPhone has a left/right viewing of album art that it somehow equates to what this patent is discussing. I can't go into details, but I've seen this patent in real-life action, and it's absolutely not the same type user interface or navigation that the iPhone offers. What it is, however, is a radically different way of interacting with a Windows Mobile device that I think is absolutely fantastic based on what I saw in an early form. I've been waiting to see this concept evolve, and if this patent is any indication, it's on it's way...

[RogueSpear]

Yes, Microsoft never copies ideas from anybody and they're so well known for coming up with innovative things all on their own. :lol:

[seaflipper]

Yes, Microsoft never copies ideas from anybody and they're so well known for coming up with innovative things all on their own. :lol:

Or they just buy the innovative idea :-)

[Phronetix]

but I want to debunk this Digg-bait article: Microsoft is not copying the iPhone as this article tries to imply. It's silly to think that just because the iPhone has a left/right viewing of album art that it somehow equates to what this patent is discussing. I can't go into details, but I've seen this patent in real-life action, and it's absolutely not the same type user interface or navigation that the iPhone offers. What it is, however, is a radically different way of interacting with a Windows Mobile device that I think is absolutely fantastic based on what I saw in an early form.

Seems the 'koolaid' flows as freely from Redmond as it does from Cupertino.

:wink:

[indiekiduk]

Windows Live has the same left and right buttons for navigation between email, messenger etc. Personally I find it kind of slow to switch like that. Having every feature of your phone in this kind of left to right switching panels means often you are going to be clicking 3 - 6 times to switch. Whereas on the iphone its alwasy 2 clicks no matter where you are. E.g. if on the iphone you are in SMS, its just press home then press phone and you get to your contact list.

It looks in the patent there is also a picture of a pop up window showing all the left to right sections in a vertical list that pops up in a window on top of the current form. If you can easily flick through that vertical list with your finger then it might be quite cool. E.g. you can switch with 1 click, a flick and search the list, then a click. E.g. you are in SMS then press the button to pop up the menu, flick throught the list with your finger, hopefully it will be like the iphone and use a gesture and a nice spin of the list, and then select Contacts. If its like that then I might like it. But still why the left to right buttons at the top, the pop up selection is obviously more efficient so why even bother with the left and right buttons, for non-touchscreen smartphones maybe?

e.g.
http://regmedia.co.uk/2007/09/12/palm_treo_500v_1.jpg

[virain]

Actualy, I find it interesting, it's not iPhone kind, it seems to be simple and intuitive, I wouldn't say it revolutionary and inovative, looks like pop ups used in internet websites, but let's see what happens.

[desertrat_blog]

Or they just buy the innovative idea :-)Stealing the innovation is more their form (Stac Electronics).