Granted Patent: Custom Content Gift Cards

Apple has been granted a patent for custom content gift cards that also covers an automated iTunes Kiosk as illustrated below. Apple's related patent application was reported on in detail back in April 2010.

Apple's patent FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary customized gift card packaged with a personal media player; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary customized gift card dispenser/Kiosk.

Apple credits Michael Rosenblatt, Gloria Lin, Taido Nakajima, Sean Mayo and Andrew Hodge as the inventors of Granted Patent 7,959,065.

Granted Patent: Technology behind Nike + iPod

Apple has been granted a patent for the primary technology behind the Nike + iPod program which includes a special transceiver that is embedded in a running shoe. Apple received their first granted patent on this technology in November 2009.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an illustrative compact portable wireless device which Apple calls the sensor that goes into the Nike + Shoe. The sensor communicates to receiver that attaches to an iPod. The more updated iPhone's and iPod touches include the receiver without a separate pluggable receiver being required.

Technically speaking, the patent covers a compact portable wireless devices and antennas. The compact portable wireless device may be part of a piece of sports equipment. A compact portable wireless device may include a transceiver module that is used in communicating with equipment such as a handheld electronic device. An antenna for a compact portable wireless device could have a relatively small size while exhibiting high efficiency. A planar ground structure for the antenna may be formed from a circuit board on which integrated circuits have been mounted. A curved inverted-F resonating element may be attached to the ground structure. A battery may be provided to power the compact portable wireless device. The battery may be used as a parasitic antenna element.

Apple credits Shu-Li Wang, Juan Zavala, and Christopher Prest as the inventors of Granted Patent 7,961,151.

Other Granted Patents Published Today  

Trusted index structure in a network environment

Method and apparatus for distributing a thermal interface material

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