Patently Apple

Apple Invents an Ingenious Security System for the iWallet Era

Make no mistake about it. As we move closer to a point in time when the iPhone could double as an iWallet, security will be the killer feature that consumers will demand. Two weeks ago Apple introduced us to one of their future security systems that will handle auto login using advanced facial recognition technology. That'll be great for iDevices not handling important documents and/or financial instruments such as debit and/or credit. For that, Apple has invented a heavy duty second tier of security that is quite ingenious. The key rests in splitting a user's password recovery secret amongst two devices that are never carried together at one time. And you know it's a serious security project at Apple when Bud Tribble, Apple's VP of Software Technology, is the man behind this endeavor. 

Some of Apple's Future RFID Magic is revealed in a New Patent

On September 15, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals some of the magic behind their upcoming RFID device circuitry. Steve Jobs has always loved to play up all-things magical whether they pertained to the new magic mouse, magic trackpad or simply talking up the magical experiences of a particular device or iOS feature. When we think of future RFID applications, we simply think of them as magically communicating with other devices somehow. Well in todays patent report we point out some of the technology that will go into future Apple products that will allow us to make banking transactions and opening a door with an electronic key seem magical and more. Apple's invention also touches on new security features associated with their RFID circuitry and points to inductive charging and the possibility of using solar power to charge future RFID devices. Updated at 9:30 PST with two new mini reports.  

Apple Wins Key Patents for iPhone Video Conferencing, Future Macs with NFC Antennas & More

 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 14 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our first report we mainly covered Apple's granted patents that related to a Karaoke system and advanced roaming point-of-sale system. In today's second granted patent report we mainly focus on three patents. The first mainly covers Aperture's plug-in architecture for exporting digital images while the second covers Apple's original iPhone video conferencing interface that set the standard. The third and final granted patent covered today interestingly covers future iMacs and Macbooks that will integrate NFC antennas and related applications.   

Apple Invents New Peer-to-Peer Sharing Technology that Utilizes Unique Magnetic Compass and Supersonic Tone Methodologies

 
In late 2009 Patently Apple reported that Apple was working on a new short-range wireless technology that would work with a newly proposed iTunes Kiosk. Apple had also shed some light on using NFC technology in another patent that year in respect to a new application they were working on that they dubbed Grab and Go. As time went on, we've documented numerous Apple patents on this subject in our NFC Archives. In a new Apple patent revealed this morning, we find that Apple has been advancing their peer sharing technology in ways that will dramatically quicken the process of data sharing. The newly proposed system utilizes a unique magnetic compass and encoded supersonic tone methodology. Apple notes that their new methodology will also allow you to share information on your iPhone easily with other devices like your iMac, MacBook or stereo system. Apple, as always, is focused on making new technology work easier for the consumer.  

Apple Dreams Up a New User Friendly Connector System

 
While Apple is statistically the leading mobile devices company in the world today, the company has always been known for being a consumer friendly company in terms of selling easy to use hardware and software. In a patent application published yesterday by the USPTO, Apple is once again attempting to make the average consumer's life a little easier by inventing a new user friendly connector system. Some hardware systems have a plethora of ports and trying to mate the right connector to the right port isn't always easy for the non-geek. Apple's new system contemplates using various schemes to simplify that process by including magnetic connectors, haptic actuators that vibrate and other unique approaches to make setting up a new device, friendly. Sometimes simple is cool.