Apple Granted Patent for Compatible Trust in a Computing Device

Apple notes in their granted patent that as more and more computing devices are being used in people's daily life, security has become a widespread concern for users and content providers. Viruses, worms, Trojan horses, identity theft, software and media content piracy, and extortion using threats of data destruction are rampant. Usually, these attacks involve installing and executing malicious software codes to expose access to device resources that would otherwise be private to the system, the content provider, the user or an application.

For example, a hacker program when running in consumer computing devices developed to play audio/video content, such as Hollywood movies or music, could potentially allow the cracking of the encryption used to secure the A/V content. Therefore, high levels of security are usually required for such devices.

Apple's granted patent answers the problems outlined above in respect to electronic device security. More particularly, this invention relates to booting a computing device securely.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 noted below shows us a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of system components executing secure booting. In one embodiment,the root certificate may be verified based on the fingerprint stored in a secure ROM of the device.

Apple credits Dallas De Atley, Joshua de Cesare, Jeffrey Bush, Jerry Hauck and Michael Smith as the inventors of granted patent 8,789,037 which was originally filed in Q3 2012 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. To review today's granted patent claims and details, see Apple's patent. Note, this is a granted patent that we missed last week. This week, there's a new security related granted patent worth checking out titled "System and method for providing reputation reciprocity with anonymous identities."

Apple Granted Patent for a Uni-Directional Fiber Composite Structure

Since 2010 Apple had filed patent applications regarding new composite materials and today we see that Apple has been granted a patent for their invention relating to their iPad Smart Case under the title "Uni-directional fiber composite structure."

Apple's granted patent provides an accessory unit which may be combined with a consumer electronic device to form an assembly. The accessory unit may include a front flap with segments formed from panels and folding regions therebetween that provide the front flap with flexibility. The accessory unit may also include a rear cover that includes a recessed portion, which may be formed from a flexible material, and which defines a chamber. The rear cover may also include a frame coupled to the recessed portion that extends about an opening to the chamber.

Apple notes in their patent claims that the invention is about "A composite structure, comprising: a ring of stacked unidirectional fiber layers aligned in a first direction, each fiber layer having unidirectional fibers within a binder." The claims further note that the unidirectional fibers are radio transparent and that the composite structure is comprised of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Apple credits Kevin Kenney, Robert Merritt, Andrew Launder, Santhana Balaji and Jared Sartee as the inventors of granted patent 8,790,758 which was originally filed in Q4 2012 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Granted Patent Based on Detected Stops

One last minor granted patent that we'll point out this morning is one titled "Routing based on detected stops." Apple states that "In some implementations, a mobile device can transmit traffic information to a server for analysis. The traffic information can include movement information including detected stops and durations of detected stops. The traffic information can be analyzed to detect traffic patterns that indicate locations of stop signs and/or stop lights." The granted patent is designed to provide users with better estimated times related to their destination.

In the end I ask myself, who really needs such a service? For more on this, see Apple's granted patent 8,793,062.

Apple Granted Five Design Patents Today

Apple was granted X-amount design patents today covering the MacBook Pro Display (D709,878); an "Electronic Device" (D709,894); Apple's Battery Recharger, an icon (D709,915) and a display screen with UI (D709,911).

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

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