During Apple's financial conference on Tuesday afternoon, Apple's CEO Tim Cook stated that Apple had new categories of products in the pipeline for the end of the year and throughout 2014. It was three years ago to date that Apple first hinted at a gaming console and controller. Well today, one of Apple's published patent filings revealed new pivoting buttons that may be coming to future iDevices. The exciting aspect to this is that there are two specific example button designs for a game controller that they have in mind. The first gaming button is noted in our cover graphic above while the second gaming button is presented in our report. The designs are about the buttons and not the look of a full game controller. This is the first big hint that Apple may be closer than we think to a gaming console or at least a game controller for a gaming version of Apple TV. I love video gaming and this news put a smile on my face. Come on Tim – get it out the door for Christmas. We're all cheering you on.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a round of eleven original patent applications from Apple today excluding 15 continuation patent filings. In this report we cover two patent applications relating to Apple's "Maps" App, a new buckling shock mounting system to better resist mechanical shock and a list of five others covering matters such as data transfers using the Low Energy Bluetooth standard and battery technologies.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new In-Plane Keyboard Illumination system designed to allow future MacBooks to be even thinner. Apple's engineering teams are always pushing the boundaries of industrial design to deliver the very best products in the marketplace.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that generally relates to future iPhones being able to locate your vehicle in a multi-tiered parking lot. In fact, Apple states that a "parking location" can be any place where a vehicle can be parked, stored, or docked. For example, in the case of a boat, a parking location can refer to a berth in a marina; in the case of an aircraft, a parking location can refer to a location at a municipal airport (e.g., outdoors or in a hangar). The vehicle can go beyond a car and it could be useful in trying to find a bike that you've parked. This new parking system application is likely a sub-system of a broader application. Part one of Apple's future automotive-application was covered in our first patent report of the day titled "Apple Reveals Advanced Automotive Access & Control System." It's pretty clear that Apple's acquisition of WifiSLAM will definitely play a role in the development of this application.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new automotive access and control system that will primarily be found in future iPhones. Last June we posted a report that revealed Apple's in-vehicle initiative with nine major auto companies to integrate Siri into popular vehicles regarding "Hands Free Navigation." Today we learn that Apple's work may be going far beyond just integrating Siri and that's major news. Apple's patent filing reveals that future iPhones will be able to open your car door, start your engine, shut off your engine for specific time frames, be able to program complete personalized car settings and much, much more. The depth of these integrated services can't be done in a vacuum, which clearly indicates that the collaboration between Apple and a number auto companies has been quite elaborate.
Last Thursday the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of four patent applications from Apple that focused on color balance and color correction. Today it's more common to see someone take a photo at a beach or concert with a smartphone than a traditional standalone camera. The quality we're getting from our iPhone and iPad cameras is nothing short of phenomenal. It's now common to read about "smartphone camera shootouts" because it's one the key attributes of a smartphone that we use more of each and every year. In the Mashable shootout, they stated that the "real story of the iPhone 5 is its color accuracy. Nearly every photo we took came off the camera with accurate and bright colors." Yes, exactly, and with each and every iPhone upgrade Apple is pushing the boundaries of color balance and correction in their cameras so as to provide their customers with the ability to shoot stunning photos and videos so that their captured lifelong memories look their very best.
On April 18, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of patents relating to next generation audio and data connectors. Apple has already begun to move to more modern efficient connectors like "Lightning" for the iPhone 5. Apple's patent delves into future versions of connectors that could eventually replace the traditional iDevice audio connector that employs traditionally rounded TRS connector jacks with something flatter and possibly shallower as noted in our cover graphic. Apple's proposed data connectors are being designed to address USB 4.0, DVI, Display Port and HDMI and work with everything from the Mac to an iPhone and right through to possible future devices such as a gaming system and a holographic projector, states Apple. Our report also touches on two Apple patents covering new spring loaded connectors that won't overheat.
On April 18, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals the nuts and bolts behind Apple's Virtual University known as iTunes U. Apple's invention is about systems, methods, and computer program products for accessing e-learning courses from an online resource. Particular implementations of the e-learning application disclosed, provide one or more of the following advantages: The e-learning application provides simple and intuitive GUIs that allow students to browse, select, enroll and interact with online courses, including facilitating data input by the student, giving the student better manual control to navigate the course and providing the student with better visual feedback for interacting with the course.
On April 11, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a couple of patent applications from Apple that relate to optical and optical hybrid device connectors. The latter is described as an electro-optical connector. Apple's main engineer behind this latest connector is the very same engineer who was behind Apple's "All-New Hybrid DisplayPort/USB 3.0 Connector" patent which was granted to Apple exactly two years ago. This guy eats and sleeps all things connector related and the patent illustrates his passion for this intricate world of connectors. But at the end of the day much of the patent is really about explaining the technology that's behind Apple's new Lightning connector and perhaps its road map of development which includes an eventual move to a next generation lightning connector based dock.
Yesterday we posted an in-depth patent report titled "Advanced iDevice Flex Display Features" which covered a grand overview of flexible display constructions and features that Apple may implement in future iDevices. Today's patent report covers a second distinct invention regarding flexible displays that may be a little more realistic in the medium term. In this invention, Apple is focused on introducing flexible edge displays that will be able to use active virtual repurposing controls depending on the needs of individual users. Apple also illustrates simple Gaming controls that could be activated on these new displays when needed. Apple indicates that these next generation flex displays could be used in future iDevices, wearable computers (like an iWatch) and even MacBooks. We close out our report with a list of 10 other minor patent applications that were published by the US Patent and Trademark Office today.
A new patent application from Apple was discovered in Europe this morning that reveals advanced iDevice flex display features. Apple's patent application covers a lot of ground including both flex screen designs and flexible components to make these designs work. One such component is a unique flex battery design. Apple's patent filing also enlightens us with the fact that bending a future flexible centric iDevice may also allow users to open a specific application, control a game function and so much more. In the end, the patent filing provides us with and overview of the the whole future flexible device concept that could eventually cover wearable computers, the iPhone, iPad and even aspects of a MacBook. Our report covers fourteen major patent figures. NOTE: The Entire Report was Updated at PM MST
Last week the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of patent applications from Apple covering some of their manufacturing processes, minor tweaks and more. Our patent report covers more than eight patent applications covering such things as Apple's pressure sensors that may be found in a next generation of their EarPods, display fracture and deformation systems regarding iDevices, a tampering detection system, an iDevice laser texturizing process and much more.
