

Microsoft Metro Tiles Design... Patent Question. - jhacks

So, I believe that they patented this design. Yes? If I were to design a new website that uses this tile design, would I be subject to a lawsuit? Do I need a license from Microsoft? Or do they specifically look to shut down direct competitors (i.e. Apple, Google, etc.) rather than websites that don't compete whatsoever?<p>I thought I read they were encouraging app creator to use the metro design?<p>Would this then just be for apps/programs that would be used on Windows 8? And not extend to just website design?<p>If anyone knows and can help, that'd be great. I have a very app-like website (a lot of functionality) and rather than use icons I wanted to use a page that had a set of tiles to display the icons and information. It'd be sad if I couldn't use this design style.  :(<p>But in regards to a patent on the tiling design... it seems like it'd be similar to patenting icons or even widgets, so I don't see how they could get that? I'm not familiar with exactly what the patent they have explicitly protects.<p>edit* It seems like the patent is more so for their "panorama" that they have for on all their interfaces (horizontal scrolling with the tiles/text/etc sharply cutoff... rather than the whole "live tile" thing. However, if someone can confirm this and more-or-less assure me I'm fine designing parts of my website with "live tiles" that would be great.
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SoftwareMaven
The notion of portals and portlets has been around for at least 10 years. What
you are describing sounds like that (unless you visually steal all of their
design).

Be careful in the exact look and the terminology you use and you should be
fine.

(I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, blah blah blah.)

