The New York Times has published a very interesting article and interactive section on the trends and issues in software patents, particularly relevant to mobile user interfaces. The main article, The Patent, Used as a Sword, posits that the current patent system, which was founded around mechanical devices, is less than effective for the more conceptual and ambiguous world of software patents. Not surprisingly, it focuses on recent Apple-related cases, including a chart, mapping out the players in recent smartphone patent suits.
Of particular interest is the paired interactive content including a video and comparative examples of some well-known Apple patents with associated prior art (pictured above). The Times asks the reader "if you were on a jury, what would you decide?"
Also of interest to UI patent followers, the upcoming NYTech presentation Apple vs Samsung: What the Case Means to Software Development and UX Design, which will be moderated by my colleague Charles Mauro.
