On June 21, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of utility centric patent applications from Apple that cover security, display luminance, flash memory, mobile device simulation and more. In the big picture, the vast majority of Apple's annual patent-count is derived from utility patents. These are the kinds of patents that take care of all the tiniest of details behind Apple's most popular products, processes and manufacturing. They might not represent the visionary side of Apple, but they sure keep the trains running on time. They're also part of Apple's legendary and fanatical detailing process that goes into every upgrade and next generation product. On the flipside, we sure hope that Apple's creative and visionary side reemerges because the volume of patents of late in that area have been nothing shy of anemic. Here's to hoping that Apple is in the process of changing gears and inventing their next generation of knock-out products for us to enjoy.
On April 26, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published three interesting patent applications from Apple. In the first one, Apple seeks to patent their Upper West Side (NYC) retail store structure that's located at 67th Street and Broadway. Just last week they filed a similar patent application for their Shanghai Apple Store. This trend of patenting "Flagship" store designs is likely to be a trend that will continue going forward. In a second patent application, we see that Apple has developed a new OLED driver which indicates that Apple is considering OLED for future MacBook and iOS device displays. The advantage to OLED is that display-backlighting isn't required. In the third patent application we see that Apple is legally beefing up their patent pending MacBook Air by including nine related patent applications under one roof. Is Apple making this move to protect their design if challenged or could it be used offensively in the future against copycat OEM designs hiding under Wintel's Ultrabook banner? Time will tell.
Apple thinks it's time for a MacBook Pro to have a kick-ass surround sound audio system. With future MacBooks doubling as our Mobile TV, Movie Theater and high end video conferencing system, it's time to kick the audio quality up a notch so as to compete with PC Notebooks offering Beats Audio. This is definitely a feature that I think that most would welcome with open arms.
On February 2, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that describes new virtual controls for a desktop with a touchscreen. This once again illustrates that Apple may be working on an iMac Touch desktop computer. Considering that a company by the name of Perceptive Pixel will be introducing a 27" slanted Touch Display through various vendors later this year, Apple should step up this project from patent concept to reality sooner rather than later. In today's report, we'll show you a very cool video that'll make you lust for one of these new systems, I'm sure. Note: An important update has added to this report at 1PM MST.
On December 22, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a pair of patent applications from Apple that reveal greater detailing of their next generation Fuel Cell project. The new fuel cells will one day power both iOS and OS X portable devices like the iPhone and MacBook for days, if not weeks at a time. In October we covered Apple's first patent on fuel cell technology in respect to fuel cell plates. Today's patents provide us with greater detail of their fuel cell technology project that even considers implementing MagSafe as a key connector for fuel cell recharging between an iOS device like the iPhone and a MacBook. The race is on to bring next generation fuel cell technology to future portable devices and it appears that Apple may be on the verge of a major breakthrough on this front.
On December 15, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of six patent applications from Apple that reveal everything you ever wanted to know about the Mac Mini but were afraid to ask. Apple's main patent describes the aesthetically pleasing Mac Mini, simply referred to in the patent as a "small form factor desktop computer." The other patents within this group describe the Mac Mini's cooling system, internal electronics, manufacturing fixtures and removable hard drive. In fact they describe the latter as being an easy-to-remove hard drive which may be of interest to some. And lastly, we cover a new patent application from Apple that reveals the assembly of the fifth generation iPod nano. It was only filed four months ago which begs the question: Why?
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a newly granted patent for Apple Inc. today that sounds like a real winner. The patent points to a MacBook using a clutch barrel structure that supports both a cellular antenna and rotatable display. This officially announces to the Wintel camp that Apple now has the ability to match or beat the Ultrabook design that is to come to market in 2013 with the Haswell processor. Now we just have to applaud loud enough so as to send Apple a clear message that we want a MacBook Tablet combination device. I mean – why should the Wintel camp have all the fun with their upcoming notebook-tablet with Windows 8 and their new touch-based Metro UI? The iPad is Apple's thunder and they should naturally extend it through to a future MacBook or MacBook Air.
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 13 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. This morning's first granted patent report covers a single knockout patent that has never been revealed before. The patent reveals a next generation microstrip styled cellular antenna that, according to Apple, will be used for future products such as notebooks, a wristwatch and other wearable computers and beyond. It may even be used in covert applications. Yes, another James Bond Classic invention from the Crazy Ones in Cupertino.
While Intel is obsessed with pushing their Ultrabooks into the market to attack Apple's MacBook Air, Apple is working on producing a thinner MacBook Pro for road warriors who need the convenience of an optical drive. Apple's latest invention describes how they propose to minimize the mechanics of an optical disk drive so as to produce a thinner MacBook Pro design in the future.
On September 29, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a next generation Hybrid Drive that includes both a hard drive and Flash. Intel will be pushing their Smart Response hybrid drive systems for consumer systems in 2012 and Apple's patent would indicate that they intend to have their own solution for future hardware. Uniquely Apple's twist to this drive is that it will handle different types of storage media based on an environmental state of the hybrid drive. If the drive undergoes temperature, vibration or acceleration variances that could cause the hard drive to temporarily fail, the system would save the volatile data to the Flash drive.
On August 25, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a wild new concept relating to privacy glasses. While the new specs will be applauded by both professionals and multi-player-gamers alike – gamers may get the added thrill of tapping into the specs' 3D capabilities. While we covered Apple's initial patent regarding privacy-mode viewing in May of this year, it appears as though this project has taken on dramatic new twists. As computer users shift more towards using mobile devices like iPads and MacBooks as their primary devices, and use them more and more in public spaces, privacy-viewing is going to be an essential feature for all future mobile devices. Apple is out to be first and more importantly, the best in delivering this essential new feature and/or accessory.
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 20 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. Our first granted report of the day only covers a single major patent victory of Apple's which covers how they intend to integrating cellular antennas under the keys of both MacBooks and wireless keyboards like that used for the iMac. That revelation of cellular capabilities coming to an iMac is an eye-opener by itself. This is Apple's fourth cellular based MacBook related patent in just the last year and the second which covers hiding the cellular antenna. While we don't know which combination of technologies Apple will use to bring cellular capabilities to both the MacBook and iMac at this time, the important point is that Apple is determined to bring such capabilities to market in the not-too-distant future.
