Patently Apple

Apple Wins Key Multi-Touch Trackpad Patent

On July 14, 2009, the US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a key granted patent of Apple's relating to a wide multi-touch trackpad for notebooks. Apple has partially implemented the technologies behind this patent in their current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line-ups. The patent also presents us with an overview of advanced imaging, infrared & optical emitter-detector sensors that could be used in future iterations of Apple notebooks. And yet, the interesting aspect of this patent in many ways isn't about the technology behind the wide multi-touch trackpad but rather the potential applications it may one day support. Although the patent is absolutely silent on this point, one of the plausible applications that could eventually emerge from this multi-touch trackpad technology is that of an advanced gamepad.

Apple Wins Industrial Designs for MacBook Pro & LED Cinema Display

The European Trademark and Design Office has officially published Apple's latest round of Industrial Design wins for the Unibody MacBook Pro with Multi-Touch trackpad and LED Cinema Display.  Apple's MacBook Pro was registered under thirty separate designs while their LED Cinema Display registered under nine. All designs were credited to same design team represented by Bartley K. Andre, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Evans Hankey, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Steve Jobs, Duncan Robert Kerr, Shin Nishibori, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Douglas B. Satzger,  Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang and Rico Zorkendorfer. All designs are registered until 2014. Apple's new Unibody MacBook Pro design with Multi-Touch trackpad was first introduced on January 6, 2009.  

Apple Working on New iPod Accessory with SIM Card & More

Hidden within one of Apple's recent patent applications is a conceptual figure that Apple simply describes as an accessory device; a device that is clearly meant to enhance the value of an iPod – be it an iPod Classic or iPod touch. The contemplated accessory would add practical capabilities to the iPod, such as providing superior speakers and a built-in microphone that would work with Apple's new iPod touch/iPhone voice memo app - which is great for consumers, students and professionals. The iPod accessory could also introduce other interesting twists such as adding the ability to introduce external data to the iPod via SIM cards, flash drives and even hard drives. It could also include one or more connector ports such as a headset jack, USB ports and/or a 30-pin connector. Yet it's the possibility of adding both wireless capabilities and a SIM card to a media iPod that would strongly suggest that Apple may be thinking of ways of introducing entry level iPhone-like capabilities to their existing base of iPod owners. In these harder economic times, a SIM card option, especially a prepaid option, could certainly be what the doctor ordered. 

Advanced Face Detection & Recognition Security System Coming to iPhone

 On July 9, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced facial detection and recognition system. Although the system described is primarily focused on use with portables such as the iPod and iPhone, it is evident that such a system will be implemented throughout Apple's hardware lineup - and eventually spill over to future applications such as television, a vehicle navigation system, a video gaming system, video glasses and so forth, according to the patent. The system will be used to identify those in communications with users via various methods of messaging including email, instant messaging, video messaging, and/or user voice call. Yet the most advantageous aspect of this system will be found in its advanced security technologies that will go far beyond simple password protection. The user will be able to program the facial detection and recognition system so that only authorized faces could control access to specific applications, be it a spreadsheet or word processor app - or to even authorize the purchase of content at Apple's iTunes Store.