In a patent filed this July, Microsoft wanted to stake their claim to a new interface for use on a touchscreen in a mobile device. The patent, entitled "Extensible filtered lists for mobile device user interface" looks kind of familiar… where have I seen it before? Oh, right. It's the iPhone's exact interface.

Whaa? I'm pretty sure Apple beat you to that one, guys. And it's not just the photos/album covers interface, either. Check out this totally unique voicemail interface.

It's not clear what this patent is for; perhaps a greatly-changed new version of Windows Mobile? A ZunePhone? Something else? In any case, I'm not sure if there are enough differences here to warrant getting a new patent, but I guess it'll save them more face than if they paid Apple outright for their interface. [Microsoft Patent via Dialaphone]

Contact information for this author is not available.