Patent portfolio continues to grow, strengthening company’s intellectual property position
CALGARY, Alberta --- August 29, 2007 --- SMART Technologies Inc. announces that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the European Patent Office have granted the company five new patents recognizing the innovative digital touch system incorporated in SMART’s DViT™ (digital vision touch) technology and one patent recognizing the On-Screen Keyboard in SMART Board™ software. As a leading technology company, SMART applies for a significant number of patents each year. The company has been creating technology products for approximately 17 years.
Four U.S. patents and one European patent have been granted to SMART in the last nine months related to the precise, intuitive touch control of DViT technology incorporated into SMART’s rear-projection interactive whiteboards, flat-panel overlays, interactive pen displays and interactive digital signage products. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office also granted the company a patent recognizing the innovative On-Screen Keyboard in SMART Board software. These latest patents add to SMART’s growing portfolio of over 20 patents.
“These patents are important additions to our patent portfolio and further demonstrate our commitment to innovation, validate our technology leadership, and protect and strengthen our overall intellectual property position,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “We have been very active in the filing of patent applications over the past two years and expect substantial enhancements to our patent portfolio through time.”
Patent details
The issued patents include the following:
- Pat. 7,184,030 Synchronization of Camera Images in Camera-Based Touch System to Enhance Position Determination of Fast Moving Objects
- Pat. 7,232,986 Apparatus for Detecting a Pointer within a Region of Interest
- Pat. 7,236,162 Passive Touch System and Method of Detecting User Input
- Pat. 7,256,772 Auto Aligning Touch System and Method
- EP1297488B1 Camera-Based Touch System
- Pat. 7,151,533 Keyboard for an Electronic Writeboard and Method
