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The user interface (UI) of mobile apps and web apps is an important element that affects operability and usability. In recent years, there has been a succession of patent applications and registrations in Japan regarding UI operation methods, screen layouts, navigation methods, gesture operations, animation displays, etc. Below is a list of representative patent cases related to UI technology that have been applied for and registered within the past five years, and the title, summary, characteristics, and effects of the inventions are explained.
List of recent UI-related patent cases
| Applicant (company/individual) | Publication/registration number (type) | Name of invention | Technical features and effects in UI (summary) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assured Co., Ltd. (Visional Group) *Service name: Assured | Patent No. 7448293 (registered) | UI to improve the accuracy of cloud service security information (invention name not disclosed*) | Security information visualization UI for companies using cloud services. By expanding the checkbox to three levels: ``✓ (applicable)'', ``△ (conditional)'', and ``blank (not applicable)'', and displaying a condition input field when selecting ``△'', we provide an interface that allows you to accurately input and display the security measures status for each usage plan. This has the effect of allowing service users to grasp accurate security information according to the plan their company uses, and making it easier to check and evaluate conditional items in detail on the UI. |
| TIS Co., Ltd. | Unpublished publication 2023-003024 (published) | Information processing system, information processing method, and program | Intuitive product selection UI in AR/VR space. It presents product objects in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) space, and provides a UI that allows users to select and operate products on the spot and complete the related payment process. The feature is that it reduces the traditional screen transitions and realizes operability that allows you to intuitively perform everything from product selection to purchase in a virtual space. Users can use natural movements such as eye movements and controller operations to select products and proceed with the purchase process, which reduces navigational burden and maintains the sense of immersion. |
| Zoom Video Communications, Inc. | Special table 2024-531506 (public) | Dynamic sharing of meeting assets within the messaging platform | Dynamic UI that links video conferencing and chat. A patent related to the UI function of the online conference service "Zoom" that automatically shares and displays "meeting assets" such as minutes and recordings on the chat platform after the meeting ends. Users can post summaries and materials obtained during a meeting to a designated channel on the chat screen immediately after the meeting, realizing seamless collaboration between apps and information sharing. This has the effect of making it easier to follow up on meeting content and share it within the team. |
| Seiko Epson Corporation | Patent No. 7491139 (registered) | Image processing device setting method, program, and image processing system | Device initial setup using chat-style interactive UI. A patent that provides an interface that guides and inputs the initial setting procedure of an image processing device such as a printer on a chat screen that resembles a dialog log. Explanations of setting items and question messages (information log/instruction log) are displayed sequentially on the screen, and when the user enters an answer, the log slides on the screen and the next message appears. This UI, which allows the setting process to proceed in a conversational manner, has the effect of enabling more intuitive and step-by-step operations than traditional complex setting screens. The user completes the setup by simply following the guide and answering the questions, and the progress is visually easy to understand through animations on the UI (scrolling log display). |
* The official name of the invention is not disclosed in the published gazette. It expresses the UI function that is the key point of the patent.
Explanation of typical patent cases
From the above list, we will explain in detail the technical features and effects of the UI patents that are particularly noteworthy.
1. Cloud service security information visualization UI (Assured patent)
[Applicant] Assured Co., Ltd. (Visional Group) – [Patent number] No. 7448293 (registered in 2024)
Summary of the invention: This is a user interface designed to accurately understand the status of security measures according to your company's usage plan when using cloud services. When cloud service providers respond to a questionnaire, we provide a checkbox UI that allows them to select items in three stages: ``✓: Applicable,'' ``△: Applicable with conditions,'' and ``Blank: Not applicable,'' which was previously difficult to express with the two-choice option of ``Compatible.'' For example, if you want to say ``certain security measures are implemented in higher-level plans but not in lower-level plans,'' you can select ``△'' and enter the details in the condition column. When you select "△" on the UI, the conditional input field is immediately displayed, and a patent has been obtained for this dynamic display UI for conditional items.
Technical features and effects: This UI allows companies using cloud services to obtain security information in line with their own contract plans. Conditional items are displayed with detailed information, so you can see at a glance which plans and which measures are effective. As a result, on the screen of the company using the service, the provider's response is automatically updated based on the company's plan, and the security evaluation score is also recalculated. In this way, flexibly expressing answer options and linked data on the UI reduces misunderstandings and contributes to accurate risk assessment. Assured, a patented company, says it will continue to patent unique functions and improve services that support safe cloud utilization and DX promotion.
2. Intuitive product selection interface in AR/VR space (TIS patent)
[Applicant] TIS Co., Ltd. – [Publication number] JP 2023-003024 (published in 2023)
Summary of the invention: This is a UI patent related to a shopping experience using augmented reality technology. An information processing system has been proposed that displays products in Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) space, and allows users to immediately complete purchase procedures based on operations (selection and decision gestures) performed on the products. In other words, the user can walk around the virtual store and pick up products, and can even pay and order directly from the UI.
Technical features and effects: Conventional smartphone apps require multiple screen operations such as selecting a product → adding to cart → transitioning to the payment screen. In the present invention, a series of actions in the virtual space are integrated into an intuitive UI.For example, a user can complete a purchase simply by looking at a product object through AR glasses and performing gesture operations. This eliminates screen transitions and input forms as much as possible, creating a seamless purchasing experience. It is great because it simplifies the navigation procedure and reduces the operational burden without sacrificing the user's sense of immersion. In the metaverse and VR commerce that have flourished in recent years, this technology, which allows EC transactions to be completed through realistic UI operations, can be said to indicate a new direction for UI/UX.
3. Device settings navigation using chat interactive UI (Seiko Epson patent)
[Applicant] Seiko Epson Corporation – [Patent number] No. 7491139 (registered in 2024)
Summary of the invention: This is a UI patent that allows the user to proceed with the initial setup of an image processing device such as a printer using a screen that looks like interacting with a chatbot. Traditionally, device settings were done using list-style settings screens or wizards, but with this invention, a conversational message log (chat log) is displayed on the screen, and the user is asked questions while completing the settings in order. For example, a question message (instruction log) such as ``Please select a language'' or ``Do you want to connect to Wi-Fi?'' and a log of the user's answers are displayed alternately on the chat screen, and when the user enters and selects an answer, the log slides up and down and disappears, and a new question is displayed.
Technical features and effects: By using the pseudo-conversation UI, users can respond to complex setting items in a question-and-answer format. In particular, this UI features innovative chat-style display behavior, such as an ``alternate display type'' where log messages appear alternately from the top and bottom of the screen, and a ``simultaneous display type'' where log messages are displayed all at once. The screen updates with smooth scrolling animation as logs are added, allowing users to intuitively follow the flow of the interaction. This can be expected to lower the hurdles of setup work and reduce operational errors. This Seiko Epson patent has the potential to be applied to chatbot UIs and tutorial systems that guide complex procedures in addition to setting up multifunction devices, making it an invention that is attracting attention from the perspective of improving UI design and usability.
4. (Reference) Screen operation UI using multi-touch gestures (Apple's related patent)
*This is an example of a US patent, but it is cited as a reference as a representative invention related to gesture operation of smartphone UI.
In the late 2000s, Apple acquired a basic patent (US Patent No. 7,966,578) for UI using gesture operations on a multi-touch screen. This invention changes the scrolling range of screen content depending on the number and movement of fingers, such as one or two fingers.For example, it specifies UI behavior such as scrolling the entire screen with one finger, and scrolling only within a specific frame (area) with two fingers. Many of the intuitive gestures on smartphones, such as the "pinch in/out" zoom and swipe back operations, are supported by such patents, and Apple contributed to the standardization of the UI by licensing them to other companies. This example is known as a pioneering patent for gesture-operated UI, and is important background knowledge when discussing recent UI patent trends.
Conclusion
Looking at UI-related patent cases in Japan in recent years, we can see that original interfaces with ingenuity for ease of use are being created one after another. In particular, as competition in mobile apps and web services intensifies, UI/UX differentiation has become important for business, and there is a noticeable movement among companies to protect ideas for UI improvement as intellectual property. The advantage of UI patents is that they can also protect features that involve dynamic movements on the screen or changes over time, and patent rights also coverdynamic UI behavior and new operation methodssuch as those introduced here. On the other hand, it is difficult to protect purely aesthetic designs with patents, so inventions that combine functional innovations are the focus.
UI technology patents in the mobile/web field will continue to be filed from a variety of perspectives with the aim of improving users' intuitive operating experience. For companies and developers, acquiring rights to their own UI inventions is beneficial from the perspective of preventing imitations and gaining a competitive advantage. Also, from the user's perspective, if an easy-to-use UI is protected by intellectual property, there are cases where it becomes established as a kind of industry standard (in fact, swipe operations are widely used under licenses from various companies). We hope that the case studies presented in this study will help you understand the latest UI innovations and their intellectual property strategies.
References/Source:
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Patent publications and published/registered patent information from patent information platform (J-PlatPat) etc.
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Notice regarding Assured official website “UI patent acquisition”
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Visional Press Release “Obtained UI patent to improve accuracy of cloud service security information”
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Intellectual property portal "IP Force" published patent publication data (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-3024, etc.)
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Seiko Epson Patent No. 7491139 Publication
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+VISION column "Why is the iPhone so easy to use!? The answer lies in the interface patent!!"
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Other articles explaining the technology of UI patents.
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AUTHOR
Takefumi SUGIURA （杉浦 健文）
EVORIX Intellectual Property Law Firm Managing Patent Attorney
Supports clients across IT, manufacturing, startups, fashion, and medical industries, covering patent, trademark, design, and copyright filings through trials and infringement litigation. Specialized in IP strategy for AI, IoT, Web3, and FinTech. Member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), and Japan Trademark Association (JTA).
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