Twitter receives patent on pull-down-to-refresh

Twitter will soon receive a patent for his pull-down-to-refresh mechanism assigned. Twitter uses the mechanism in mobile apps; many other companies use a similar mechanism. It is unknown whether Twitter the patent offensive.

TechCrunch reports that Twitter made the payment to the patent office has done, and that the patent than normally within a few weeks is assigned. The patent was applied for in 2010 by Tweetie, the twitter client that in the same year, including patents, was acquired by Twitter. According to the patent office was a mechanism whereby down geswiped is for the screen to refresh at that time not yet been invented.

It is unclear whether Twitter with a patent, the legal battle will compete with makers of apps that have the same mechanism. In april 2012, Twitter employees who have a patent, think of the power to decide whether or not to grant permission for offensive use.

The patenting of elements in user interfaces is often done. Apple complained to Samsung in 2011, among other things, because of the way the interface after a swipe gesture terugveerde’. According to the court infringed Samsung is indeed a patent of Apple, resulting in a sales ban for the Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace entered into force. Samsung excluded that blockage, however, immediately update the interface of the smartphones to roll out.