Patently Apple

Apple Wins iChat and Major Tablet Patent Prior to Launch

 

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 13 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. Without a doubt the granted patent that screams out this morning is one that relates to Apple's forthcoming Tablet. The focus of the patent is on the tablet's proximity detection capabilities. The timing is unbelievable yet crucial in protecting Apple's new technology for larger tablets. Other granted patent notables include a color management system and a crucial patent relating to Apple's iChat.    

Apple iPhone to Gain Social Networking & Public Transit Apps

 
An interesting Apple patent surfaced last week that had me take a second look. The patent generally relates to provisioning mobile devices with information and services pertaining to a location. While this patent confirms that location based technology could be used to send out ads to iPhone users, the fact is that this patent provides us with some interesting twists. A new architecture will offer differing databases relating to points-of-interest (think restaurants, night clubs, theaters, etc) and social networking via a shared-interest database - so that you and your friends could plan a night out by coordinating information. Another key focus of this patent relates to Apple's iPhone offering a very handy Transit System Interface covering busses, light rails, trolleys, cable cars, or other types of conveyance available for public use. The system would be able to send out timing alerts to users based on current public transit schedule information, current locations of public transit vehicles on one or more routes and so forth. The location-aware iPhone will use triangulation information via GPS signals. Whether for city transit or inner city parking, the service will double as a vehicle for Apple's new Quattro Wireless ad services  

Apple Files Trademark for QuickTime Logo

 

Apple's cross-platform media QuickTime media-plaftorm has a rock-solid foundation that is trusted to offer a host of innovative features that create the most cutting edge multimedia experiences in the industry. QuickTime is about HD Video, AAC Audio, media streaming and immersive 3D QTVR photographic experiences. Most importantly, QuickTime is about entertainment. Apple's QuickTime is even likely to introduce something new in respect to their coming tablet. Apple filed for their updated logo this past week with the USPTO. The new logo was first revealed publicly during WWDC in July 2009. The graphic above illustrates the old logo on the left and new on the right. 

Apple's iMac Touch Technology Surfaces in Patent

 

This week, news broke that a 22" iMac Touch is scheduled for late 2010. Although it's only a rumor at this point in time, the fact is that a 2008 Apple patent supports that marketing direction for the iMac.  To add a fuel to that fire, a segment of a new touch display technology patent that surfaced on Thursday further illustrated Apple's commitment to this project. The new touch technology employs several new sensors including laser vibrometers and micro-machined accelerometers. The twist to this is that it could be an iMac Touch or an iMac-like dock for a future Apple tablet. This is explained in more detail in this week's article titled Tablet Prophecies – Future Twist.  Whether we end up with an iMac Touch or a Touch Screen Tablet Dock, the fact is that it opens the door to some very interesting applications for consumers.

Apple Patent Details Advanced Light & Laser Pens for Tablets

  
Are you still a Doubting Thomas when it comes to Apple's intentions of eventually introducing a stylus to the iPhone or future tablets? Well, perhaps you should rethink that position. It appears by this current patent that surfaced yesterday, that Apple is seriously thinking of reinventing the stylus by introducing us to an advanced Light Pen or even a Laser Light, states the patent. Just a few weeks back there was another very sophisticated touch screen patent that touched on future touchscreens for the iPhone and future MacBook Tablet. Today's patent is equally sophisticated. This patent introduces us to a futuristic light pen that has a cylindrical tubular tip that is both extendable and retractable when pressed against the touch display. It also discusses a light emitting diode that provides a beam of light that is channeled through an optical path. This capability, states the patent, is particular useful for pressure sensitive applications, such as Photoshop by Adobe. As noted in the illustration, the light pen appears to be tethered to the device in some way. The patent doesn't explain if the wire from the pen is retractable in some way or if it's simply a plug-in accessory. Time will tell.  This patent report focuses on references to the light pen and not on the touch screen technology itself.