Apple Granted Patent for Fifth Generation iPod Nano

Apple has been granted a patent relating to the mechanics behind the fifth generation iPod nano.

Apple credits Teodor Dabov, Phillip Hobson and Anthony Montevirgen as the inventors of this granted patent which was originally filed in Q3 2009 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review Apple's fifth generation iPod nano detailing which includes 16 patent claims, see granted patent 8,385,060.

Apple Granted Patent for a Notebook Illuminable Latch with Camera

Apple has been granted their second patent for an invention relating to a security latch that is incorporated into a MacBook. The latch is combined with a unique camera that is both pivotal and detachable. Their first granted patent for this invention was covered back in October 2011.

In another aspect, the notebook may include a positioning device for controlling the movement of the camera relative to the housing. In yet another aspect, the notebook may include a latch that is automatically positioned in a home position when a housing component of the notebook is positioned in a first position, and is automatically positioned in a lock position when the housing component of the computing device is positioned in a closed position.

With data security being such a huge issue these days, you have to wonder why Apple has yet to release a MacBook Pro with this feature. I'm sure that Apple's Industrial Design team could come up with a design that is both esthetically acceptable while providing advanced security. Then again, it could simply be another failed idea. Time will tell.

Apple credits Christopher Krah as the sole inventor of this granted patent that was filed in Q3 2011. The patent does illustrate other previous dates related to this patent. To review today's 16 patent claims and full detailing, see granted patent 8,384,518.

The Remaining Patents that were granted to Apple Today

It's Granted Patent Day

Readers should be aware that every Tuesday the US Patent and Trademark Office publish Apple's Granted Patents. Granted patents are approved patent applications that Apple applied for months or even years ago. In the vast majority of cases, "granted patents" aren't covering any new kind of technology on the day the patent is being granted. New Apple technologies are generally revealed on Thursdays by the US Patent Office in the form of published patent applications. Some Mac sites confuse this process by making claims and presenting bylines on Tuesday that insinuate that Apple has just revealed a new technology or process. In 99% of cases, this is simply untrue and readers should be made aware of this fact. Known exceptions would include patents that were recently acquired by Apple or a domestic and/or foreign patent application that Apple had never presented in the US before under its own brand name.

Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.

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