An exciting new coded magnetic fastening component design from Apple has surfaced in Canada's Industrial Designs Database this morning. The database states that it was publically published on March 22, 2012. The new design is listed under classifications that cover such consumer products as a remote control, telecommunications housings and more. A portion of the design resembles Apple's January patent figure for a future MacBook Pro docking station with inductive charging capabilities. While we can't confirm which of the products this component is headed for today, we can certainly state that it's for a product beyond the iPad Smart Cover. Apple's latest revelation is most interesting indeed.  

To close out March, Apple has filed for a new communications icon in Europe that covers Mail, Calendar and SMS in one unique live combo icon. The new icon is associated with Apple's Notification Center. Apple's trademark application 010765485 is shown to have been filed under International Class 009 covering such things as "computer software for the redirection of messages, Internet e-mail, and/or other data to one or more electronic handheld devices," and more. While the icon is used to identify the Notification Center, it should also be used as a convenient icon for our iOS devices.   

In late January we told you that we were under construction and that there would be some problems along the way. At the moment we're working on our RSS Subscription update which is causing a clear mix up with our spin-off blog Patent Bolt. We hope to have this corrected by sometime next week. We appreciate your patience during this update. 

Thanks

Jack Purcher

Earlier today we introduced Apple's 3D Avatar App which covered a basic overview of the new application in the works. Now a second patent application has surfaced and it actually shows that the app is already running on an iPad! We have the screenshot to prove it. The new patent application focuses on how the app will work with color palettes and more. The big news however is that the new 3D Avatar App is in its final stages of development and that's very cool. Evidently phase-one of the application is geared for the younger crowd, but other editions could be in the works as discussed in our first report today. One of the 3D characters in this Avatar App that we illustrate in our report has an Apple T-Shirt on. It makes you wonder if Apple is planning to debut this 3D Avatar app alongside a cool new Apple based game of sorts to kick this off just right. At the end of the day, Apple is in the final stages of a great new app for the iPad.  

Last week Apple's patent application for an advanced TV remote was a bit of a stunner and the news about Apple's future HDTV keeps hitting the news. Just yesterday we learned of the Foxconn-Sharp alliance that's key to ramping up HDTV production for Apple's TV in the future. The day before that we learned of Apple being granted a patent for multi-touch skins that could wrap around a future TV remote so that controls could reside on the front, back or sides. Today, a new patent application was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office that provides us with a little more information about their new remote. This time around Apple details the remote's "learning system" that will always keep it up to date with the latest features via iCloud. While it's not an earth shattering invention by itself, it's all part and parcel of Apple's basket of all things Apple TV. The more we learn about their future HDTV system through patents, the better we'll understand their grander vision. This very much reminds me of the ramp up of patents in 1996, the year prior to the iPhone's debut. The buzz and anticipation surrounding the iPhone was "heart-thumpingly-insane" and the late Steve Jobs simply hit it out of the park for us. Time will tell if Tim Cook and Phil Schiller can engineer that same kind of buzz for Apple's HDTV – but one thing is for sure: they're off to a great start.  

Apple has invented a killer 3D imaging camera that will apply to both still photography and video. The new cameras in development will utilize new depth-detection sensors such as LIDAR, RADAR and Laser that will create stereo disparity maps in creating 3D imagery. Additionally, the cameras will use advanced chrominance and luminance Sensors for superior color accuracy. And if that wasn't enough, the new cameras will not only include facial recognition but also facial gesturing recognition. Intel discussed the coming 3D revolution back in 2010 and it appears that Apple wants to be one of the first to introduce this killer 3D camera. While others may have beaten Apple to market first, the technology described in today's invention will definitely provide iOS devices with the ability to view killer 3D images that could only be appreciated on Apple's "Resolutionary" Retina Display. Apple's resolutionary experience has only begun. With the ability to view stunning 3D imagery, photos and videos on our new iPad displays, the resolutionary experience is only going pop our brains even further.  

Apple certainly has a fascination for avatar creation apps of late. In the last year or so they've invented several interesting avatar related apps including one for a very sophisticated Personal Shopping app for the desktop and another covering Advanced Avatar Editing for the iPhone. In today's latest patent application, Apple reveals a new application in the making that will primarily be used for avatar creation, though Apple does clarify that they may use the underlying technology in other professional applications. On one hand it's like Photo Booth on steroids and on the other hand it's definitely being aimed at the 3D video game market. In either case it'll be a blast to play with on an iPad. In fact, Apple notes that this app could eventually apply to next generation displays that include "movable," heads-up and three-dimensional (e.g., holographic) systems. Now that caught my attention.

Yesterday, Apple was granted a very interesting and important patent regarding a very specific TV Display technology. The patent basically related to Apple's advancement of a little known technology called Fringe Field Switching (FSS). Apple's research pushed the technology so that it could now power a large HDTV. Previous versions of FSS couldn't accommodate such large displays. The underlying technology is an off-shoot of IPS called S-IPS. It's a technology that provides superior performance and color gamut with high luminosity. IPS technology is currently being used in Apple's iMac and the patent for IPS is held by Sharp. This was one of the key points that surfaced in a news report out Taiwan today that basically confirms that the Foxconn – Sharp deal directly equates to a future Apple HDTV.  

On March 28, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office officially published Apple's  registered trademark status for the iTunes logo. Apple officially filed for the iTunes logo on June 17, 2010. The iTunes logo is protected under a series of International Classes which includes coverage for  such matters as social networking, telecom, retail and entertainment services. While Apple's CEO Tim Cook is off to China to clear up a few issues including the iPad trademark, he could at least be relieved to know that their all-important iTunes logo is now legally theirs. Well, at least in the US that is.  

Today marks the day that Apple takes another leap forward in multi-touch technology. Apple has just won a knock out Multi-Touch Skin technology that will allow Apple to create next generation devices that are multi-dimensional in nature like a multi-touch sphere or a TV remote that has multiple touch areas for different controls. Apple could license the technology to car companies for creating multi-touch skin based steering wheels that could be responsive to gestures to turn the radio on or answer the phone for hands free operation. It could apply to sporting apparatus or even on guitar frets so as to provide feedback to a music analysis program. If Apple gave their competitors a headache in court with their traditional Multi-Touch patents, then they're competitors are going to need a lot more Tylenol once they realize what Apple has just won: Boom!  

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of nineteen newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. Amongst this latest lot were three design patents. Two of them were posthumously awarded to the late, great, Steve Jobs. For those who were fond of Steve Jobs, it's a little reminder of his passion for design. Steve Jobs and Apple's distinguishable class still lead the way in a world bent on copycat designs.  

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of nineteen newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. One of the patents that stood out from the crowd this morning relates to a high refresh rate LCD called FFS that Apple clearly states is suited for a TV. In fact, Apple's technology advances FFS so that it could work with large screen HDTVs, as previous versions of FSS couldn't accommodate such large displays. The technology is an off-shoot of IPS called S-IPS. It's a technology that provides superior performance and color gamut with high luminosity. IPS technology is currently being used in Apple's iMac – which stems from this patent.