The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 34 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we highlight patents covering a future head tracking user interface, iDevice indoor location services and a reminder system for drivers as the enters and exits their vehicle. Apple was also granted a design patent for Apple Watch retail packaging. We wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Granted Patent: Indoor Location Scanning

Apple's newly granted patent 9,717,065 covers their invention relating to indoor location sharing between devices. Particular implementations provide at least the following advantages: A user of a mobile device can quickly determine a current location of a friend or family member inside a building by requesting that the friend's mobile device transmit the location of the friend's mobile device to the user. A user of a mobile device can quickly determine a path along which a friend has traveled through a building.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 illustrates an example graphical user interface of a mobile device for enabling location sharing with other mobile devices; FIG. 2 illustrates an example graphical user interface for requesting the current location of a contact; FIG. 13 illustrates an example system for determining a path that a target mobile device has taken through a building. Apple's granted patent was originally filed in Q and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office; FIG. 16 is flow diagram of an example process for indoor remote triggered location scanning; and FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an iPhone that can implement the features and processes of indoor location services.

Granted Patent: Motion Tracking User Interface

Apple's newly granted patent 9,715,273 covers their invention relating to a method to transition focus of a display corresponding to an object's motion tracked by a video camera or like device. The advantage is allowing a user to free the use of both hands while navigating a user interface or interacting with an application on a computer system.

Granted Patent: Reminders based on Entry and Exit of Vehicle

Apple's newly granted patent 9,715,816 covers their invention relating to smart reminders that are provided in response to trigger conditions of entering or exiting a vehicle. It can be convenient for a user to have a reminder when the user enters or exits a car. For example, a user may need to remember to get something from the trunk. Or, a user may need to be reminded to go somewhere or take something the next time the user is in the car. Accordingly, embodiments allow a user to specify a reminder for a next time that a user's mobile device establishes or breaks a connection (e.g., a wireless or wired communication connection) with a car.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 illustrates a system including a mobile device and a vehicle; FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C illustrate input of a reminder via a user interface.

Apple Wins Design Patent for Apple Watch Packaging

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

Note: In order to see a clearer image of the list above, simply click on the image above to enlarge it. Some browsers may require that you click on the image and then a second click on the image to enlarge it fully.

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 Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.