Patently Apple

Groundbreaking Patents come to life at WWDC 2009

The attendees of this year's WWDC were abuzz over some of the new iPhone 3G-S features that Apple's Worldwide Product Marketing VP Phil Schiller introduced during his keynote. They were especially impressed with Apple's new 3 megapixel autofocus functions along with on-iPhone video editing and Voice Controls. Brian Tong reporting for CNET TV captured the excitement over these particular features this way:  "This will feature the touted 3 megapixel camera. It will be able to take photos a lot better. But it has this cool touch focus interface where you touch on an item  -  the camera and the software knows where to focus so they had house in the background and a flower in the foreground that they the used as example… Also you're going to be able to get video capture - everyone's been waiting for this. But the real slick-part about this is the fact that you can actually trim and edit your video clips and then upload them to YouTube, MobileMe or other services. Also some other features that were rumored - was voice control - so that you could actually talk by holding down the home button of your iPhone or iPod touch. It will actually enable you to "controool" your music collection or control it to call people. That was some really cool stuff" This WWDC 2009 Bonus report will show you that these cool features were borne from patents prior to the conference. 

Apple's iPhone Emergency-Mode Processor & Features Patent

On June 11, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published an Apple patent generally relating to a method and system for prolonging emergency calls on the iPhone. The patent also details how an emergency phone call is made more difficult to disconnect by accident, how it preserves battery life by disabling non-essential hardware components – and how emergency mode enables emergency-phrase buttons on the iPhone that could easily communicate with an emergency operator your location (supported by GPS), a specific condition and/or the fact that you're unable to speak due to your emergency condition.

Future iPhones Will Gain Pico Projector, Videoconferencing & Advanced Content Sharing

 
On June 4, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the next chapters for Apple's iPhone. Apple reveals that rich two way communications will be included in a future iteration of the iPhone that will allow users to finally transmit and/or share a selected tune, a video of your own or perhaps one from YouTube, a voicemail, podcast, photo and/or document to each other, all in real-time. Apple also clarifies that the iPhone will offer ichat (videoconferencing) and yet leaves the door open for other communication devices; perhaps a future iteration of Apple TV or future smartbook - or should I say iBook. That would be an interesting development, especially for enterprise users. Yet in another striking twist, this patent reveals that an iteration of an iPhone could provide enterprise users with the ability to use the iPhone as a mini projector. But it could likewise be a blast just between friends as you'll discover.  

 

Apple Patent Reveals Multi-Touch Scroll-Wheel & Larger Display iPod

On June 4, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced multi-touch scroll-wheel in development. Apple's current iPod Classic uses a single-point contact Click-Wheel which severely limits the types of applications that could be controlled on this iPod. Today's patent advances a new concept of multi-touch instructions that could go beyond circular motions to that of a wide range of input. Different regions of sensor elements can aid in sensing gestures that traverse the center of the scroll wheel. For example, linear motion, such as a swipe across the scroll wheel, would support an app like Cover Flow. Multitouch input would also enable zooming applications that could be used with an iLife app like iPhoto or an iWork app like pages or better yet, keynote. Apple introduces us to "Gesture mode" that will activate these advanced features. Lastly, if Apple's FIG.1 noted above is to be taken at face value, then it would indicate that the iPod Classic could be getting a much larger display and smarter scroll wheel. Considering the apps it will be able to run, it stands to reason. Whether this pops up during Apple's WWDC next week is unknown – but it's not that much of a stretch. Traditionally however, patents don't always translate to market that quickly. We could hope though.