Patently Apple

Apple's Wild New 3D Gesturing is Aimed at CAD, Avatar Creation & More

 
On July 7, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind newly advanced 3D gesturing that will apply to CAD applications for product and gaming developers as well as for consumers. According to Apple, next generation iPad and/or other iOS device displays will allow consumers to create avatars for 3D environments or assist homeowners in designing new landscapes and more by using simple 3D gesturing. The new 3D gesturing will control color and textures while allowing users to uniquely rotate objects to gain different perspectives of their designs. This is wild stuff that is bound to give Apple's competitors another huge headache. 

Future iPads to Implement Vicinity Sensors for Enterprise Use

 
On June 30, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various new advanced vicinity sensors coming to future iPads. Apple's patent makes it clear that vicinity sensors will be a tool that will fit into the enterprise quite nicely. New vicinity sensors coming to the iPad include RFID, Infrared and Ultrasonic. The latter utilizes advanced 3D scanning and imaging capablilities. The advanced sensors are designed to locate office equipment anywhere within an enterprise and could actually devise floor plans to properly located devices. Users will also be able to drag document icons to the printer or videos and/or art to a video projector for a presentation using Keynote or Power Point. Without a doubt, Apple is aiming to further advance the iPad into the enterprise.  

Apple Acquires Paging Patent to Assist Enterprise & Medical Complexes

 
Patently Apple has recently discovered a document that confirms that Apple has in fact acquired a new paging reception related patent. The new technology could allow Apple to add premium upsell services for iOS devices in the future that will enable them to further challenge the likes of RIM who currently offers such services. Apple's newly acquired patent will allow Apple to push further into both the enterprise and medical complex spaces which will provide devices like the iPhone and iPad with yet greater value.  

Apple Devising Smart Hybrid e-Paper/Video iOS Displays

 
The first Apple patent of the day that surprised us was all about an incredible smart bezel using a secondary printed segmented electroluminescence display that would allow for hidden illuminated controls on devices such as the iPad. Apple's second patent surprise of the day is all about Apple devising a next generation iPhone that would effectively offer us a smart hybrid display that could switch between a standard LCD and an e-Paper display. In fact, it's so smart that the display could actually subdivide itself into quadrants that could intelligently switch display types depending on the content that the user is running. That would work very nicely with Apple's proposed use of Spaces on future iOS devices.   

Apple Blows us Away with Smart Bezel Details!

 
Apple has been teasing us with various smart bezel patents over the last year but a new patent application revealed by the USPTO today, provides us with how they're intending to implement this feature and the details will blow you away. Apple intends to introduce a method that employs a very cool secondary display scheme that utilizes a printed segmented electroluminescence display. Apple intends to use the secondary display to introduce a new set of illuminated indicators that would be able to morph into various controls for work and play. Illuminated gaming and productivity controls could be built into the face-side of the bezel and/or selected back-side areas of iOS devices like the iPad. Apple is about to raise the bar for interactive device interfaces that will, no doubt, put absolute fear into the hearts of every iOS device wannabe competitor.  

Apple Patent Reveals a New Baffling iPad Design

 
An interesting Apple patent surfaced last month that revealed their use of advanced laser welding methodologies and their contemplation of using another material for the iPad beyond aluminum. Yet hidden within this patent was the revelation that they're seriously considering the addition of a baffle system in future versions of the iPad. As Apple introduces more sophisticated multicore processors, camera optics and sensors into future iPad designs, it only stands to reason that a simple cooling system is in order.  

Patent Shows that Apple is Bringing "Spaces" to the iPad

 
In an Apple Discussions forum on Spaces for iPad, Robb Manning stating back in 2010 that having "the ability to touch one button and switch spaces to where I have safari up to do some research would be awesome." Well, today we move closer to that reality. The USPTO has revealed a patent that shows that Apple is bringing Spaces to the iPad. In fact, if you look closely in one patent graphic, you may actually be getting a sneak peek of OS X Lion on iPad. This spices things up a bit wouldn't you agree?  

Apple Wins Patents for Inductive Charging Docks, Antennas & More

 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 20 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our first report of the day, we look at several minor patents including a design win for the Mac Mini that was issued to Apple in China along with Apple's iPhone and iPad antenna system. Yet the most important patent in this first group goes to a series of newly advanced inductive charging docking stations that have never seen the light of day. With HP's TouchPad coming to market this summer with cool wireless charging capabilities, Apple needs to get these patented docks to market before HP scores a major point with consumers this fall.  

Future Apple Notebooks & Tablets may use Acoustic Commands

 
Yesterday we presented you with two of Apple's most detailed patent applications covering Apple's extraordinary research into the notion of live and reconfigurable notebooks. Those patents detailed various scenarios pertaining to a "keyboard-less" notebook in addition to detailing a smart bezel, using hand-wave controls and much more. In today's patent report we cover Apple's third and final installment on this subject matter which pushes the envelope even further this time around by introducing us to acoustic commands. Acoustic commands use unique noise fingerprints of tapping combinations, scratches and/or swirling-motions to control device functionality.  

Apple Talks Up Smart Bezels + Live & Reconfigurable MacBooks

 
On February 17, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals the next chapters for both their iPad and MacBook portable devices. Apple first discussed future plans regarding a smart bezel for their iPad and iPod touch a year ago while hinting at new hovering capabilities just last week. The idea is to give Apple's iPad bezel easy yet invisible controls. In today's patent application, Apple really spells out how the smart bezel may not require a Home Button and added controls like volume will simply require a swipe of your finger. If that wasn't enough, Apple kicks everything up a notch by talking about a Live and Reconfigurable touch interface for future MacBooks. This has a lot of potential if Apple's haptic technology advances accordingly. It's the device every OEM on the planet is trying to master and it sure looks like Apple is getting a whole lot closer than most. Go Apple!  

Apple Considers New Hovering Capabilities for Future iOS Displays

 
It was about a year ago when we first learned of Apple's initial work on smart bezels that could one day apply to future versions of the iPad and/or other devices. As is the case with most cyclical research, ideas have a natural ebb and flow to them. In today's report you'll learn a little more about the smart bezel's advancements via hovering technology and about a new idea to make iOS displays a little more touch sensitive – if that's even possible. The good news is that Apple has taken some of the initial technology and thinking that was behind their smart bezel project and first applied it to other devices such as the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad. So now that we know that touch technology can go beyond mere displays, the idea of it applying to a future iPad bezel isn't as farfetched as it may have been just a year ago. Such is the nature of progress.  

Apple Takes Huge Steps towards a Graphics Pen for iPad

 
Last July Apple was granted a patent for a graphics tablet and since then several other specialty pen and display patents have come to light. Today's patent report covers a new stylus-friendly touch display designed to work with a new kind of stylus that works with a conductive disk and unique pivoting head. While the proposed pen system could be used with standard iPhone apps, the patent clearly points to the system being more graphics oriented as it mentions working with brush tools and the like. And lastly, the new pen even has a gaming angle to it that could be fun.  

Apple Designs a Future Built-In Stand for the iPad & More

 
On February 3, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the next chapters for Apple's iPad. A future iPad, according to Apple, may include a built-in stand that could pivot to provide both landscape and portrait support while allowing the unit to be further angled just right for use with the iPad's virtual keyboard. The concept of the new advanced stand supports another recent Apple patent concerning added connectors for a future iPad. Apple's invention could technically eliminate the need for their current docking station.  

Future iPad Could Provide New Connector & Grounding Options

 
A new Apple patent focuses on grounding future iPads in superior ways so that touch values don't get distorted when the iPad isn't being held by the user. For example, a user could be resting their iPad down on a wooden coffee table or a leather sofa so as to read a book or surf the web. In these situations, the iPad isn't being properly grounded and could begin to cause the iPad's touch commands to behave incorrectly due to improper grounding. Apple's solution includes adding additional ports to make it easier to ground the iPad and a new notification system to warn the user that the iPad requires to be grounded for proper operation. 

Apple's iPad May Gain New Speaker Array + Facial Recognition Cam

 
On January 6, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the next chapters for Apple's iPad. The patent introduces us to three and four speaker arrays that will advance the iPad's audio range so as to cover high range tweeter and a lower range speaker. But the patent packs a bigger punch by illustrating the iPad's camera that will include facial and location orientation. So if you're chatting in landscape or portrait, the camera will reorient itself accordingly. The patent also shows us that Apple is thinking of a very cool iPad stand. It's a concept, but one that would be very, very cool to own.