PatentApplications
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Apple patent application details method for detecting and displaying hand position on screen
We've had a glimpse at Apple's conception of a sensor-based keyless layout, and the latest patent application from Cupertino shows the company looking to further refine the input experience -- this time using a camera and other sensors to detect hand position and overlay that hand position on a device's screen. The filing details three methods to this end. The first shows a user's hands on a traditional hardware keyboard projected in an on-screen representation (as background, Apple mentions the ergonomic strain of looking down to check your hand placement, so perhaps that's the thinking behind this one). A second scenario involves a laptop with unlabeled keys, where the marked keyboard is displayed on the screen, and the final, most intriguing, setup shows backside controls on a tablet a la the PS Vita, with a user's fingers projected as if the device was transparent. Of course, this is just a patent application at this point, so don't expect to see this tech make its debut September 12th.
Cher Wang: HTC will grab as many patents as it can
HTC co-founder and chair Cher Wang has said that her company plans to register and buy a host of patents in order to maintain parity with its competition. Speaking at the firm's 15th anniversary party, she said that despite being unable to use S3 Graphics' patents in ongoing litigation, the company will register and purchase patents in a variety of "different fields." It looks like we can expect to see a lot more filings at the USPTO in the future, and perhaps a few more buyouts along the way. [Image Credit: WSJ / Zuma Press]
RIM patent application puts pressure on sensitive touchscreens for a possible unlock alternative
RIM's been busy on the patent application front lately, filing off concepts for anything from smartphone docks to rotating keypads -- even flirting with potential forays into forensics peripherals. Perhaps sensing the crushing need to differentiate its ailing BlackBerry brand, Waterloo's taken to the USPTO with a doc submitted last November that could do just that. The pressure-sensitive input scheme and touchscreen interface described therein would respond to a user-set pattern of force by granting access to a handheld device's features and applications. Sure sounds a heckuva lot like a new password protection implementation, but that's just our humble take. What it actually is, where it goes from this legal limbo and whether or not it ever winds up in BB 10 tech is truly up in the air. What you can count on, though, is a continued flood of in-process IP procurement from a company close to the edge.
Samsung submits patent application for speech-recognizing robot
Samsung will soon launch its Siri-style S Voice software on the Galaxy S III, but in the more distant future it could bring speech recognition technology to standalone robots. A patent application from the company details an automaton that can adjust its voice detection capabilities to account for ambient noise, letting it recognize when people are talking even in loud locations. It remains unclear just what the robot will do for you once it hears your commands -- maybe it will be on call for cooking you dinner and the like. Judging by that pic, at least, the concept looks like a good time for all involved.
Google pads IP portfolio, purchases Cuil's pending search-related patent applications
Google's been buying a fair amount of IP over the past several months from IBM, and now the Big G has acquired seven new patent applications from the now-defunct search engine, Cuil. Back in 2008, Cuil aimed to take Google's crown as the king of search, but was shut down 2010 because it often failed to provide relevant results (despite its massive site index). Good thing the patent apps Google's gotten are for different methods of displaying search results, as opposed to, you know, finding them. The full list of assignments can be found at the source below, so head on down to get your fill of patent claims and black and white drawings.
Microsoft patents method for secure pairing of devices wirelessly and a 3D rangefinder camera
IBM may be the king of patents, and Apple's patent applications grace these pages rather frequently, but Microsoft's not one to rest on its IP laurels, either. A couple of newly published patents out of Redmond have made their way to the web: one for securely pairing wireless devices and one for 3D rangefinder camera technology. The pairing tech works via a direct connection between devices using Bluetooth or WiFi and an automated, two-step authentication process. First, a request is sent by an initiating handset and is authenticated by its target using an address book of recognized devices. Next, the two devices exchange encrypted security keys to cement their digital friendship, leaving you free to exchange your favorite episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 or latest LOLcat pictures with the greatest of ease.Microsoft's other patent of interest is for "a 3D camera for determining distances to regions in a scene." That's not a new concept by any means, but this new bit of IP integrates all the functions of such an imager on a single chip. Essentially, it claims an image sensor, a light source to illuminate the scene being shot and a controller to gate the pixels on the sensor on and off and correct for inaccuracies caused by other light sources. It works by projecting the light source and determining the distance to various points based upon the time it takes for the light to bounce off the target and reach the camera sensor. Want to know more? You can haz all the patent particulars at the source links below.
Google buoys its patent portfolio with 217 more filings acquired from IBM
It's not quite as big as some previous patent transactions between the two companies, but it looks like Google did a fair bit more shopping from IBM's vast portfolio at the tail-end of 2011. As noted by the SEO by the Sea blog, IBM transferred 188 granted patents and 28 published patent applications to Google during the last week of the year, including a number of patents related to phones and web browsers. Unfortunately, other key details like an acquisition price remain a mystery, but you can peruse some of the patents themselves at the source link below.
Apple patents workflow sharing using NFC, because it's never too late
Two things that are guaranteed to mess with your brain: playing the oboe and reading dense Apple patent applications. You do find the occasional gem, but often you'll read scores of pages only to discover that the so-called invention has already been put to use by others. In this instance, Apple has successfully patented the idea of using NFC to establish a master/slave relationship between two smartphones, as a prelude to making a fully-fledged WiFi connection that allows the sharing of contact details or more complicated sequences of actions. Now, this is a smart idea, especially since the patent specifically talks about retail applications (shown above), but is the end result so wildly different to Android Beam or even Bump? Even Fujitsu came up with a similar concept for using NFC to trigger location-relevant workflows. Either there's some significant overlap here, or we've spent too long playing reed instruments.
Google's Moto Mobility deal may have had Microsoft roots, comes with $2.5 billion break-up fee
Is Microsoft preparing to fill in Google's old mobile boots? It could very well be, now that the search king has firmly committed to the hardware side of the mobile business. According to a report on GigaOM, MS was one of many potential suitors circling Motorola's treasure trove of patents, effectively forcing El Goog to swoop in for the $12.5 billion kill. Moto's portfolio of 17,000 patents and 7,500 patent applications would have significantly strengthened Redmond's attack on the Android platform, but it appears the loss might actually benefit MS in other unintended ways. Despite the cheery, public well-wishing from handset makers, insider rumblings indicate a possible mass OEM defection to Windows Phone 7 could shortly be afoot, paving the way for a fierce, three-way mobile OS fight. For its part, Google doesn't seem too worried about the competition, considering the deal's hefty $2.5 billion break-up fee -- a percentage three times that of the AT&T / T-Mobile merger penalty -- a confident financial sign it intends to win this wireless race.
Apple's carrier ranking patent application hints at global iPhone
Apple may be hard at work creating the one phone to rule them all (around the world), if this latest patent application is any indication. The filing, first submitted in April of last year, describes a software-based method of determining carrier rankings, allowing owners to browse through a database of network-specific features, such as voice and data, to determine their best fit and sign-up for service. Ideally, this future iPhone set-up would come courtesy of a truly global phone, packing all the necessary radios and software to surf along the globe's wireless frequencies sans extra SIM cards. Rumors of an open handset have been circling Cupertino for a bit, much to the dismay of operators who fear the move would diminish their function as the industry's gatekeeper, shifting power to consumers. Certainly, Jobs and co. have a high hurdle to overcome if this purported world phone is to ever become a reality. In the meantime, why not just snag an unlocked device? [Thanks, Neil]
Apple patent application takes the hard keys out of the keyboard, promises a flat surface solution
Apple's giving us a patent application peek into its post-PC future, and it looks like hard keys will be so 2008. The recently revealed filing shows off a virtual, flat keyboard concept for Cupertino's line of non-iOS products that flirts with metal, plastic and glass form factors. Using a combination of piezoelectrics, haptic feedback and acoustic pulse recognition, these prospective designs will be able to detect your finger-pounding surface input. If you're the fast-typing kind, you're probably wondering how your digits will recognize the keys sight unseen. Well, there's a few workarounds for that. In its metal and plastic iterations, Jobs and co. plan to stamp or micro-perforate the layout into place, while their glass counterpart would receive a graphical overlay. The application also promises an LED-lit display for hard to see conditions and the inclusion of capactive sensors to enable multi-touch functions, so you avoid e.e. cummings-style emails. Of course, applications aren't necessarily indicative of a surefire product, but those interested in tickling their imagination can give the source link a look.
Apple goes patent application crazy with 14 über dull filings, hinge manufacturers tremble with fear
How's this for patent happy -- this morning a grand total of 14 applications from folks at Apple were published, covering everything from "cable structure for preventing tangling" to an "adaptive audio feedback system and method." Most of the filings are nothing terribly exciting -- though the tangle-free headphones, involving a series of alternately stiffer and more flexible cores, is a welcome upgrade to the standard iPhone headset, which is usually reduced to an unmanageable ball of knots after just a few careless tosses in a bag. A number of other headphone makers have already taken similar steps to keep cords under control. Other applications include techniques for managing GPU resources, a tilting hinge design for the iMac, and a "compact input device," which is actually just the click wheel we've all come to know and love. If you're really into the minutia of patent apps, check out the source for links to all the sketches and vaguely worded claims your little nerd heart desires.
Apple seeks to spruce up the real world with interactive augmented reality, has the patent apps to prove it
When we go somewhere new, we wish we could spend more time taking in the sights and less time looking at our phone for directions and info about our surroundings. Apple's well aware of this conundrum, and has filed a couple of patent applications to let you ogle your environment while telling you where to go and what you're seeing. One app is a method for combining augmented reality (AR) information and real time video while allowing users to interact with the images on screen -- so you can shoot a vid of a city skyline with your iPhone, touch a building where you want to go, and let it show you the way there. The second patent application is for a device with an LCD display capable of creating a transparent window, where the opacity of the screen's pixels is changed by varying the voltage levels driving them. Such a display could overlay interactive info about what you see through the window, so you can actually look at the Mona Lisa while reading up on her mysterious grin. Of course, these are just patent applications, so we probably won't be seeing any AR-optimized iDevices anytime soon (if ever), but we can dream, right?
Microsoft patent application shows custom Kinect gestures, roaming user profiles
Since Kinect entered the world, modders have been hacking it for everything from playing Tetris to controlling a web browser. And really, Microsoft never seemed to mind. In case it wasn't obvious how much the company wants you to help find new uses for the technology, the folks in Redmond have filed a patent application for custom profiles. We can see that having implications for gaming and even Windows shortcuts, but for now Microsoft expects it to improve Kinect's accuracy by learning how you move -- after all, no one jumps or points or apes Lady Gaga's dance moves in exactly the same fashion, right? In other cases, the system might note that you prefer to make an "X" sign instead of a checkmark when selecting an object onscreen. And those personalized settings can roam over a network, shadowing you as you switch devices. Personally, we're stoked about the idea of making our best Julian Assange dance a bona fide gesture, but we'll be happy enough if Kinect can make up for our natural ungainliness.
Sony fires barrage of touchscreen patent applications, only one points at new PSP
Lawyers for Sony Computer Entertainment America must have been mighty busy last October, hatching the wild scheme that came to light this week -- a series of eight intertwining patent applications all describing a single device with an intriguing touchscreen interface. Though it's hard to tell what form the final device might take -- the apps suggest sliders, clamshells and slates -- a few distinct ideas bubble to the surface, and we'll knock them out one by one. First, the inventors seem to be rather particular about having a touchpad that's separate from the main screen -- perhaps even on its back like the rumored PSP2 -- and Sony's trying to patent a way to manipulate objects through the screen as well. Second, there's a lot of mumbo-jumbo about being able to "enhance" or "transform" the user interface in response to different forms of input, which seems to boil down to this: Sony's trying to get some multitouch up in there, especially pinch-to-zoom. Last but not least, the company's looking to cordon off a section of touchscreen buttons, including a 'paste' command, and patent a "prediction engine" that would dynamically change the onscreen layout based on your past behavior. If most of these ideas sound more at home in a new tablet computer rather than a gaming handheld, then great minds think alike. Still, SCEA is Sony's gaming division -- forlorn Linux computing aside -- so consider us stumped for now.
Apple attempts to patent kill switch that roots out unauthorized users, detects jailbreaks
digg_url = 'http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/21/apple-attempts-to-patent-kill-switch-that-roots-out-unauthorized/'; Just about every mobile operating system manufacturer can remotely delete apps from the smartphones they help provide, but if a recent patent application is any indication, Apple's looking to lock down the whole enchilada on future devices. The basic concept is as simple as the diagram above -- certain activities trigger the phone to think it's in the wrong hands -- but the particular activities and particular remedies Apple suggests extend to audiovisual spying (to detect if a user has a different face or voice than the owner), and complete remote shutdown. While the patent mostly sounds targeted at opt-in security software and would simply send you an alert or perform a remote wipe if your phone were stolen or hacked, jailbreaking and unlocking are also explicitly mentioned as the marks of an unauthorized user, and one line mentions that cellular carriers could shut down or cripple a device when such a user is detected. Sounds great for securing phones at retail, sure, but personally we'd rather devices don't determine our authority by monitoring our heartbeat (seriously, that's an option) and we're plenty happy with the existing Find My iPhone app.
Microsoft patent application proposes six-axis remote that's buttered on both sides
We're usually pleasantly surprised by the interface technology out of Redmond, but we rarely see Microsoft tackle anything as simple as a TV remote control. However, a July 1st patent application by the software giant describes a fairly interesting gizmo with controls on multiple sides. With a six-axis inertial sensor package, the unit always knows which direction is up and activates only that side -- allowing engineers to slim down the unit (or cram more buttons into the same space) by putting contextually-aware touchscreens on any surface of the device. When you move the remote, the sensors detect that, too, and immediately illuminate the screen. Just goes to show you can always find a new angle for mundane technology, eh?
Apple patent application reveals ad-supported OS, desktop Armageddon
You know, a lot of patent applications are company attempts to guard against the future however it might play out. But sometimes they predict the product pipeline as did this application for what ultimately became Apple's new Magic Mouse. So seeing an Apple patent application for "Advertisement in Operating System" attributed to "Inventor" Steven Jobs himself is enough to send chills up the spine. The idea is to make the OS free or at a reduced cost, something Google knows a thing or two about. Unfortunately, the idea presented would offer "visual or audible" advertisements that "disables one or more functions while the advertisement is being presented." Ugh. [Thanks, Mike]
Inventor's patent application reveals "shape-shifting" dishwasher
It's not all that often we see advances in dishwasher technology, but inventor Paul Frigout of Coventry University looks to have been hard at work at just that, and a recent patent application has now revealed what he's been up to. There's no robots or waterless technology involved here, however, but simply a movable partition that lets you change the size of the washing compartment to accommodate various size loads. That'll apparently not only let you cut down on the amount of water used, but give you room to store clean dishes in the other compartment, or put 'em through an alternate washing cycle. Needless to say, there's no indication as to when we might actually see such a dishwasher, but it sure is a lot less far fetched than most of the patent applications we see.[Via New Scientist Tech]
Samsung looks to patent two new gaming phone designs
Samsung looks to move forward into the realm of mobile gaming with two new U.S. patents involving gameplay-oriented handsets. For starters, patent #1 (pictured above) describes a "portable communication terminal for games." The display on this design involves a hinged "flip" that unveils a dual-row numeric keypad complete with phone navigational array when opened, and a gaming d-pad when closed (we hope that hinge is solid); the 'A' and 'B' buttons are near the earpiece and always visible. More info on the second patent application after the break. [via Unwired View]Read - Patent 1Read - Patent 2
