New patent covers wireless iPod video conferencing

These iPod-related patents get more outlandish by the minute, and this one might not even be from Apple, but we thought we'd run it by you all the same. The patent seems to refer to what could at least be an iPod accessory. It isn't filed by Apple, but since it continuously refers the the iPod specifically, it seems the device is somehow closely related. Clearly evident is an ability to do iChat AV-style video conferencing over a wired or wireless connection. References to "wherein the handheld video device is an improved iPod" give us hope that this device will work with some sort of next-generation wireless iPod, possibly even a phone version. The patent also covers the use of the iPod as a video server or to receive video streams from the Internets (World Cup, anyone?) which we're sure quite a few fans of the little device could find useful. There's also the chance that these pictures that include a phone are merely the dreams a patent squatter, or that the bare-bones approach of plugging in an external camera and headset will be as far as anybody goes with these video capabilities. But we can always dream, right?

[Via Macsimum News]

[Taylor Alexander @ Jun 14th 2006 7:42PM]

Is the image on the phone in Fig 21B a shot of someone's crotch? Hmm.... guess we knew what this would be used for all along...
-Taylor

[Tyler Arnold @ Jun 14th 2006 7:56PM]

I have a strong feeling that on one of the next ipods they are going to have an ipod-esque version of frontrow... That'll be awesome...

[zed @ Jun 14th 2006 8:04PM]

Oh yeah sure, looks like the 1G ipod with the black and white screen. Good luck!

[Mark @ Jun 14th 2006 8:33PM]

You can do that? You can take another company's product and patent a potential future version of it? Cool! Dibs on the patent for the 3D iPod!

[Brendan @ Jun 14th 2006 8:37PM]

Even though the picture is of an old iPod, the patent was only filed in the second half of 2005 & released in June '06. i.e. this month!! So I would def. say it's apple & this is too cool.

[Ray @ Jun 14th 2006 8:40PM]

Taylor.. In response to your question, Figure 21B isn't a shot of someone's crotch. It is, rather, an enlarged picture of the tie shown in Figure 20B at the top right corner.

P.S. Get your mind out of the gutter....:[

[Jay @ Jun 14th 2006 9:18PM]

I wonder why the drawings have the older style click wheel

[HankScorpio @ Jun 14th 2006 9:24PM]

Figure 21A looks to be like a 3Gen style iPod interface with a camera above on the rear cover of the phone in figure 21B. If you look closely you can notice the antenna from the 21A. Although the whole concept is a little phishy because the iPod voice recording quality is extremely poor, and it has no means of wired or wireless connections.

[Eli @ Jun 14th 2006 9:28PM]

The iPod only has poor voice recording quality because it was intentionally crippled.

An iPod with Linux can record at any quality. They can also play Doom, and could run videos well before the 'video' iPod came out.

[Intrepid @ Jun 14th 2006 9:51PM]

lol. iPods. When will the endless stream of white garbage end?

[Brendan @ Jun 14th 2006 10:17PM]

Hey "Jay" in response to your comment look at my comment two posts above yours. It's a trick to throw people off their scent.

[n00bmaster @ Jun 14th 2006 10:27PM]

lol, internets.

[DayOne Entertainment @ Jun 15th 2006 12:27AM]

CHECK THESE GUYS OUT, they go with anything and are up and coming and the latest music fad: http://dayonegutta.blogspot.com
YOU WON'T BE SORRY...just please check them out and take a listen!

[JP @ Jun 15th 2006 9:50AM]

So this patent was filed in 2005, but shows pictures of a first generation iPod? Something is rotten in the state of Apple...

[Frank @ Jun 15th 2006 9:50PM]

Another patent story.

LAME!!!!

Why don't you go ahead and edit my comment out like you did to my last post, when I complained about these patent stories are.

Censor this!!!!

[Bryan @ Jun 16th 2006 10:11AM]

I don't see battery life providing new meaningful features and I'm surprised that Apple went beyond music in the first place. I guess I'm going to lean heavily towards the iMac rather than portability with the iPod for entertainment. I'm so afraid of losing battery life as it is on my nano and photo. These features are not impossible though.

[steve M @ Sep 4th 2007 2:56AM]

That's really a smart and quick solution for video conferencing, without much efforts and time.
http://www.sony-conferencing.com/