US 9223487

US Patent 9223487, titled "Electronic apparatus, method of controlling the same, and related computer program," was invented by Yoshie Maeda. The original assignee was JVCKenwood Corp, with Soundclear Technologies LLC currently listed as the assignee. The patent was filed on September 6, 2012, and issued on December 29, 2015.

Abstract:
The patent describes an electronic apparatus and method for user interaction via a touch panel. It involves indicating objects on a display, detecting user touches, and acquiring the touch positions. A key feature is the detection of two touch positions where the distance between them decreases over time. In such a scenario, a rectangular area is defined on the display, with two opposite corners coinciding with the initial first and second touch positions, and any objects within this rectangular area are selected.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus Claim): This claim defines an electronic device equipped with a screen, a touch-sensitive layer (touch panel), and internal components (sections) for interacting with a user. Specifically, it includes an "indicating section" to show items (objects) on the screen, an "acquiring section" to detect when a user touches the touch panel and record the locations of these touches, and a "selecting section." The "selecting section" is designed to identify if two distinct touch points are present. It then calculates the distance between these two points and determines if this distance is getting smaller over time. If two touch points are detected and moving closer, this section creates a rectangular selection area on the screen. The important part is that the initial locations of the two touch points define the opposite corners of this rectangular area, and any items displayed within this area are then chosen or highlighted.

• Claim 12 (Method Claim): This claim describes a step-by-step process for controlling an electronic device. The method involves showing items on a screen and detecting where a user touches a touch panel on that screen, noting these touch locations. It then checks if two separate touch locations have been registered. The method proceeds to calculate the distance between these two touch locations and observes if this distance shrinks as time passes. If two touches are registered and they are moving closer together, the method defines a rectangular region on the screen. The initial positions where the user first touched determine the opposite corners of this rectangle, and any items found within this region are subsequently selected.

• Claim 13 (Computer Program Claim): This claim describes a computer program that enables a computer to perform the functions of the electronic apparatus described in Claim 1. Essentially, the program allows a computer to act as the "indicating section" (displaying objects), the "acquiring section" (detecting and recording touch positions), and the "selecting section" (determining the presence of two touch points, calculating the distance between them, identifying if the distance decreases over time, and if so, establishing a rectangular selection area based on the initial touch points and selecting objects within it).

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, a search of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 dockets did not specifically return any cases directly mentioning US Patent 9223487. While the patent's Google Patents page indicates "Family has litigation" and lists a US case filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with case number 25-1288, this case number suggests it was initiated in 2025, not within the 2026 calendar year.