Patent app hints at iPhone controlling Mac, iTunes

Okay, so we've heard using an Apple Remote whilst trying to fool no one into believing it's an iPhone, but apparently, the patent pumpers in Cupertino are getting serious about executing that equation in reverse. According to a recent filing, Apple engineers explain how a mysterious "mobile phone" could be used to control your Mac (and specific applications like iTunes) via built-in Bluetooth, and the wording even mentions specific software that would be tailored to the Mac and handset in order to make it all happen. More specifically, consumers could "use the directional controls on the mobile phone to change listing volume, skip forward and backward, play / pause, etc.," and while no mention of the forthcoming iPhone is directly made, the allusion here is fairly clear.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[manoz Posted Apr 15th 2007 7:22PM]

This has already been taking place through the use of third party software, namely Salling Clicker which I just find an amazing piece of software. Integrating the functionality into a phone is just icing on the cake.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 7:28PM]

I've always been able to do this using sony ericsson phones which has a been a well useful feature, plus it's universal for most apllications

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 7:43PM]

Salling Clicker lets you control your mac with just about any bluetooth phone

http://www.salling.com/Clicker/mac/

With Salling Clicker you can navigate iTunes, iPhoto, KeyNote, AppleDVD, VLC even move the cursor with your cells directional pad. Also can display iTunes song list and artwork.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 7:46PM]

this is great, and would be even better if you could control your iphone through your mac. like answering calls from your laptop when your phone is ringing in the other room, or making calls while your iphone is on your charging on your nifty transduction charger*

*speculation, or, what i want

[RDM Posted Apr 15th 2007 8:16PM]

That already exist jott

With BluePhoneElite you can answer your calls with your mac and dial numbers without touching your phone

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 9:57PM]

Jott - this is already part of OSX

open Address Book - click on the bluetooth icon to pair your Mac with your phone and your all set

when a call comes in to your cell a pop up box in OSX shows up on screen asking if you want to answer the call or let it go to voice mail (also shows the number and caller ID)
If you miss a call the window will say missed call and you have the option of calling back or sending a SMS message

to make calls or send a text from your mac just right click on any phone number in your address book and OSX will start a call on your cell or send a text from it

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 8:31PM]

That's old. I can use my Sony Ericsson K610i to control my HP pavilion, heck I can even use it as a mouse or to control Media player, all via Bluetooth. Apple isn't exactly touching new grounds here.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:50PM]

Yes, I agree. This is nothing new. My SE mobile already has this implemented.

I imagine the system used in the iPhone will be a lot more integrated into the OS than is currently available.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 8:27PM]

i think this patent goes further than the sort of features provided by sailing clicker though. doesn't that essentially just wrap your phone's buttons to apple remote functions?

thats all well and good, what if you were sitting down, you had your itunes on playing some music, you wanted to change the playlist but didn't particularly feel like getting up?

presto; you open up itunes remote on your iphone, you directly select what playlist or what track you want to play, or change the volume or whatever using the multitouch screen?

i figure that this sort of functionality would be a pretty inevitable progression, the iphone seems a pretty powerful piece of kit to just be used as an internet navigator, media player and phone.

[JaxTJ Posted Apr 15th 2007 8:44PM]

Actually the open source project Pluto already does all that, incorporating xine, asterisk, and a bunch of other stuff all under an nice wrapper. Including supoprt for symbianOS phones, bluetooth devices, etc.

http://www.plutohome.com

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 8:47PM]

Salling Clicker http://www.salling.com/ has been there forever. Whats so great and innovative in this one?

[Vesal Posted Apr 15th 2007 9:06PM]

before anything, i'm no apple fanboy; i'm actually an apple boycotter.

of course there's nothing innovative about it that hasn't been seen before, it's only a patent! but let's face it, apple will most likely come up with something better than what's on the market (for a luxurious price already tagged on the iPhone of course).

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:04PM]

thanks for letting me know, its nice to know what i wanted was already there.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:00PM]

Has anyone actually read the linked patent application, used Salling Clicker, anyone?

The application describes a remote control that can be used to control and pair with multiple devices. It describes in detail how it's different from a universal remote and existing bluetooth controlling solutions. It's vague and you don't really get an idea of how it will actually work but the mention of UI elements, menus and switching between devices is interesting also so are the words "mobile phone" buried in the application.

That's the news, nothing more really.

[JaxTJ Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:12PM]

Andrew, I've never used Salling, but I have used Pluto, and from what's described in the patent, I don't see any news. With my current Pluto setup, I can take a call on HP hx6315, use the app to control any number of disked/diskless nodes, control mythtv, xine, security scenarios, control lighting, etc. If MS/Apple come up with something that works as well without having to do any of the linux tweaks involved with pluto (and make it more attractive than what I can now have for free) I might consider it. I kinda like what Media center offers right now, but I'm the sort of control freak that likes to have control over my hardware and expandability that a more flexible (open)system offers.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:33PM]

From my reading it has more to do with the UI and element libraries that are mentioned in the application and less to do with the phone just a remote or pointing device as we currently know it. What they're talking about is a far richer and more integrated solution.

Apple Insider has a writeup using the same diagram from the application that better explains the whole system.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/04/12/apple_filing_shows_modular_media_center_with_unified_interface.html

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2007 10:45PM]

I published a theory about the ShuffleTooth , a bluetooth enabled iPod shuffle, that would interact with the iPhone. The iPhone would then become the hub of your personal area network. This may be related?
Shuri

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 23rd 2007 8:29PM]

I published a theory about the ShuffleTooth http://www.shuri.org/?node=news&id=727 , a bluetooth enabled iPod shuffle, that would interact with the iPhone. The iPhone would then become the hub of your personal area network. This may be related?
Shuri

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 12:01AM]

I've used Salling Clicker. In fact i'm still using it alot. It's a great app. Core app controls itunes iphoto keynote/power point quick time it's even got system control(mouse)...It is also scriptable and there are tons of scripts out there. It supports huge range of devices and it's also available for Windows. It would be great to have such application on the iPhone, maybe even better if Apple homebrews one.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 1:05AM]

I've heard from someone who currently has access to an iPhone, as well as had the AppleTV before it was released, that they are working on something far more powerful than just "controlling". If you've seen the Sonos, supposedly the iPhone can provide complete 2-way feedback and control of the AppleTV (and surely iTunes). I have worked in the custom electronics for several years, and this was from someone who runs one of the major companies in CEDIA, and has provided iPod integration for distributed audio for some time now.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 1:11AM]

linux already does this with their three button remote or almost does it

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 4:35AM]

The previous posters have pointed out a number of applications etc. that can do what this patent implies, and this is all very well and good, but what Apple will add to this is ease of use - it'll work "out of the box". Something which most of the above mentioned software doesn't, IMO, seem to do.

My own investigations into using MythTV on Redhat Linux where frustrating and ultimately unsuccessful - I couldn't get the damn thing working, and after several days I gave up.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 12:13PM]

I don't think this patent has anything to do with the iPhone. Ars Technica is calling it Apple TV 2.0.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070415-new-patent-hints-at-apple-tv-expansion.html

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 3:32PM]

I Am Just F#@!en Speechless !!!! I have no clue to what all you people were saying. But it was a cool TRIP. HA..Ha..

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2007 6:56PM]

Of course this isn't new stuff. The cool thing about apple is that they are able to intoduce these sort of things and give the customer an amazing user experience. You don't need to be a geek to be able to enjoy these kinds of technology. This will allow your average joe to have some fun and to not worry about technical stuff.