Does anybody else see why such patents are curbing innovation? I mean, the whole difference is a moot point.

The patents didn't cover the touch screen sensors. The sensors and their drivers--not covered--just give you points corresponding to fingers and pressure. The same thing with this touch table.

You could take the exact same software written for the touch table and feed it the touch sensor (again, not patented) input. Under the ruling this would be found to infringe.

Think about that. Software written before the patent in question fed data from a different device--infringement. It would be like me filing a patent for elements of the standard desktop gui running on an LCD instead of a CRT, and suddenly getting a free pass against all prior-art.