Microsoft Patents Icons

Microsoft have one thing over Apple: competent illustrators for patent filings. While Apple's feature men with mutant sausage-hands, Redmond offers sleek mobile user interfaces.

Titled "Tile Space User Interface for Mobile Devices," the filing describes a system of "dynamic" tiles, making an "improved user interface for mobile devices."

"The tiles provide a snapshot of the current state of content available through the mobile device without requiring any interaction by the user. The tiles and display space are customizable and can be dynamically updated to display content to a user. In addition, tiles can provide functionality, including simple tasks to a user without requiring the user to navigate away from the tile display space. Tiles can also provide quick access to start software applications. Tiles can be organized in the display space by the user or the tiles can be automatically grouped based upon associated metadata."

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Microsoft is patenting the icon. And here we thought Redmond was all in favor of patent reform.

That said, taken in addition to Redmond's other recent wireless telecommunications patents, it seems obvious what this is for, what with icons for TV, weather, music, and so on: Zunephone, or at least a revision to Windows Mobile.

Patent Application [USPTO via mad4mobiles]