Patents Expiring in 2026

How Modified RNA Tricks Cells Into Making Proteins Without Triggering Attacks

A breakthrough method for using modified RNA to deliver instructions to cells without causing the body to reject the treatment as a foreign invader.

Displaying Friends' Activities in a Social Network Feed

This patent describes how social networks like Facebook collect what users do, create short updates about those actions, and show them to specific friends in a personalized list called a "news feed."

How Multi-Touch Gestures Like Pinch-to-Zoom Work on Smartphones

Apple's patent on using two-finger gestures to manipulate images and objects on a touchscreen, allowing for smooth zooming and rotation even if you lift your fingers briefly.

How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work

This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted.

How Facebook's News Feed Picks Stories You'll Like

Facebook's 2012 patent explains how it creates a personalized news feed by showing stories about friends' actions, ordered by your interest, and updating it based on what you click.

How Phones Store and Rotate Ads Locally by Breaking Rules

Sprint's 2006 patent on a system that downloads a pool of ads to a phone and uses an on-device manager to decide which ad to show, even breaking its own rules to make sure lagging ad campaigns get seen.

How Apple's Navigation Bar Manages App Screens

A method for navigating between different screens in a music app using a fixed bar that shows where you are, where you came from, and a shortcut to the player.

How Search Engines Rank Images Using User Ratings

A system that improves image search results by combining how well an image matches a search term with how highly users have rated that image elsewhere.

How a Handheld Thumb-Controlled Computer Mouse Works

A handheld mouse designed to be held in the air, using the thumb to control a cursor while fingers rest in ergonomic channels.

Detecting When Gamers Stop Playing to Save Power

Sony's 2010 patent on using motion and image data to detect when a gamer stops playing, allowing the game console to pause or save energy.

How to Verify Anonymous Users Using Third-Party Identity Services

A method for a system to identify and authorize a user it doesn't know by asking a different, trusted service that already has the user's information.

How American Express Tracks Your Spending Habits Across Different Stores

A system that links store-specific product codes to universal manufacturer codes to help consumers track their spending and stay within personal budgets.

A Gel That Helps Nicotine Absorb Through Your Skin

A specialized gel formula designed to help nicotine pass through the skin or mouth lining without crystallizing or rubbing off on clothes.

How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings

A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back.

How Mobile Phones Can Securely Authorize Payments Using Random ID Codes

A 2006 system that uses a mobile phone to receive and relay a unique, temporary ID code to a store terminal to verify and authorize a payment transaction.

How Online Stores Automatically Block Illegal Alcohol and Tobacco Deliveries

A system that checks if your online order of alcohol or tobacco is legal to deliver at your chosen time based on local laws.

How Apps Fetch Data in the Background While You Are Offline

A method for mobile devices to store web content for offline viewing and automatically fetch new updates in the background once a wireless connection is restored.

How Remote Servers Automatically Adjust Your TV Settings

A method for a remote server to automatically configure a TV's picture and sound settings by analyzing what other users with similar viewing habits prefer.

How Enzymes Help Turn Corn Into Ethanol More Efficiently

A process for making ethanol from starch by using specific enzymes to break down proteins, which helps the fermentation process run more smoothly.

Delivering Targeted Ads and Digital Content to Remote Kiosks

A method for sending digital content and personalized advertisements to remote kiosks by combining scheduled data pushes with real-time requests.

How to Aggregate Transaction Notifications Using Secure Tokens

A method for a central server to collect and organize event notifications from different merchants using unique, secure tokens that prove the user's identity without sharing sensitive account details.