On December 3, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a new series of future media player error indicators. The indicators will be used to notify users that the device is unable to proceed with a particular function the user has requested – be it playing a tune, a movie, a TV show or displaying a photo. Apple's patent presents us with indicators that represent a broken DVD, broken CD and alternatives like a broken projector or guitar. Each of these error indicators will be accompanied by a matching sound effect that is designed to be both fun and handy for those using headphones while in transit or while training.
On Thanksgiving Day 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the next chapters for Apple's iPhone and iPod family.Apple's patent reveals that a more robust graphic equalizer will be added to their media players sometime in the future. Beyond today's basic Equalizer (EQ) settings that are found on various iPods, Apple plans to implement a more sophisticated virtual touch-based Graphic Equalizer interface for the iPhone and other iPods - especially the iPod touch. This will provide music enthusiasts with much greater control in fine tuning their favorite music. There's even a hint, however small, that a Graphic Equalizer could be designed to illuminate on other accessories like a mouse or notebook touchpad which, in my opinion, would be very, very cool.
Within a year it's been for Apple patents regarding Athletic Sensory Technology! In March we read about advanced sensors relating to ski and biking equipment. In April we read about sensors in cyclist's helmets with GPS and head-gesturing. In June we were blown away with news about advanced Sports-TV technologies covering kick boxing, wrestling, NASCAR racing and more and in September Apple rocked the gym with new sensory technology for treadmills and other gym equipment. Today's newly published patent is no less exciting with new sensory devices being devised by Apple. The two main devices include a new headset/earplug system and an arm or belt band all of which incorporate advanced sensors that monitor your heart and oxygen levels without the need of using a traditional chest strap-on system. Apple's patent also covers a new pedometer which of course was incorporated into their latest video iPod nano. So the technology is slowing crawling to market and perhaps we'll see more exciting components described in this year's patents come to life in 2010.
On October 29, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the likely next chapters for Apple's iPod Touch Media Players.Apple's patent focuses on adding a new ejectable component assembly to couple removable modules. The removable modules may include, for example, integrated circuit cards (ICCs), chip cards, memory cards, flash memory cards, microprocessor cards, smart cards, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the removable module may contain electronic circuitry from which the electronic device may read data and/or to which the device may write data. Apple's iPhone already has this feature as presented in the report.
It has recently been said that the days of the dedicated music player have come and gone – and with the advent of the new iPod Nano adding features like an FM radio with iTunes Tagging and video recording, the argument could be made that the iPod Classic is need of an identity facelift. Today, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed a patent application that could point to one of the possible next chapters for Apple's iPod Classic. The patent introduces us to the concept of "switchable sensor configurations." That basically boils down to adding swiping and gesturing capabilities to the iPod Classic's traditional scroll wheel. This would allow the iPod Classic to add much of the same types of apps that the Nano just received in addition to introducing the ability to control applications and enter text better and so forth. Apple first advanced this concept in March 2008 when it presented us with the notion of adding Cover Flow and business apps to the iPod Classic and more recently, presented us with the Classic having the ability to use zooming features.It's evident that Apple is exploring ways to advance the iPod Classic without destroying its unique place and retro look within their media player line up.
Apple introduced their next generation iPod Nano yesterday which comes with a new marketing feature called "iTunes Tagging." This nifty little feature is going to be hot and one of the most appreciated features over the years. We've all been there. We hear a tune on the radio and missed the DJ's description of the tune – or they ripped it off too quickly to catch. Yikes – it's a tune you want, a tune you can't get out of your head and you just can't find the name of that tune. Well, for those buying the new iPod Nano, that's an inconvenience of the past.Apple's new iTunes Tagging allows you to see the metadata pertaining to that tune and allows you to tag it so that when you get home, the tunes information is simply sitting in a file on iTunes ready for you to review and buy it. Tagging is simply a click of the iPod's click wheel. Apple's latest feature has been in the works at Apple for years. Apple finally executing on this feature fulfills one of their 2008 patent applications which richly details the advances of tagging and where it could be going in the bigger scheme of things.
On July 23, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new one-touch concept for ejecting your iPod or iPhone from iTunes on your computer. In the future, the USB cable connector supplied with your new iPod or iPhone will come with a built-in capacitive-sensing system that includes conductors that generate fringing electric fields. When your fingers approach the USB cable to eject your device, the system will sense this and immediately go into shut down mode to prevent data loss.
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.
Apple introduced a breakthrough unibody design for their latest MacBook line-up last fall and proudly produced a video wherein we see Jonathan Ives, Senior Design VP, Dan Riccio, Product Design VP and Bob Mansfield, Senior Mac Hardware VP review the revolutionary manufacturing process and hear their thinking behind it all. The unibody is a seamless enclosure carved from a single piece of aluminum. That's exactly what Apple describes in one of their latest patent applications revealed today. And while the MacBook is one of the products covered by this patent, it is in fact the iPod that is the design in focus. The thin sharp design, shown below, appears to reflect a future iteration of the iPod Classic - being that it still retains the classic iPod click-wheel. Apple's patent states that "the sheet metal may be formed in such a way that the final part looks like it was machined down from a large thick slab of material. By utilizing sheet metal, the overall cost of the part can be reduced." While the new process will apply to a plethora of future devices on the drawing board, Apple's mention of a television is perhaps the one that we all secretly long for. That's for another day. For now, it's the unibody iPod Classic with a very cool aluminized makeover that Apple is focusing on.
On April 10, 2008, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's patent application titled Invisible, Light-Transmissive Display System.Apple's patent generally relates to device display systems, and more particularly to invisible, light-transmissive display systems that become visible when illuminated from behind. The patent illustrates the technology being used in notebooks and the iPod. In the case of the iPod, the technology will allow the Apple logo and brand name "iPod" to be illuminated in future iterations of their popular MP3 player.
On March 13, the US Patent & Trademark Office published two of Apple's patent applications pertaining to Cover Flow being used on an iPod classic and iPhone. The patent illustrates Apple’s calendar, address book, iPhoto and other applications being accessed on an iPod-like device in varying ways. Some methods include Apple’s touch screen technology on a classic iPod as well as using both a click wheel and/or touch pad. One of the 3D effects presented in the patent is rather cool. In light of the Microsoft patent that I presented yesterday, the timing of Apple’s updated Cover Flow patent for portables is more interesting than ever.
On January 24, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's patent application titledIlluminated touch pad.Apple's patent generally relates to touch pads that provide visual feedback. More particularly, the present invention relates to illuminated touch pads that use light to provide feedback. Apple’s current patent would strongly suggest that the iPod classic could likely take another leap forward in the future with an advanced touch pad that displays unique illumination attributes. Apple’s current patent also covers the very touch pad features that debuted in their new MacBook Air earlier this month at MacWorld.
