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Apple patents iOS 5's exposure metering based on face detection, keeps friends in full view
Many photographers will tell you that their least favorite shooting situation involves a portrait with the sun to the subject's back: there's a good chance the shot ends up an unintentional silhouette study unless the shooter meters just perfectly from that grinning face. Apple has just been granted a patent for the metering technique that takes all the guesswork out of those human-focused shots on an iOS 5 device like the iPhone 4S or new iPad. As it's designed, the invention finds faces in the scene and adjusts the camera exposure to keep them all well-lit, even if they're fidgety enough to move at the last second. Group shots are just as much of a breeze, with the software using head proximity and other factors to pick either a main face as the metering target (such as a person standing in front of a crowd) or an average if there's enough people posing for a close-up. You can explore the full details at the source. Camera-toting rivals, however, will have to explore alternative ideas.
Apple still trying for water damage indicator patent, drop-prone device owners twitch (update: granted)
Apple has already sought to patent some elaborate water damage detection methods, but it's also a fan of the classics. That must be why it's still attempting to patent a water detection method that it's been seeking since December 2006, just a month before the iPhone went public. The concept is a simple one that you'll find in many iPhones (and other iOS devices) so far: water-reactive, color-changing tape positioned in a device such that the Genius Bar staffer can see that your device took a dive in the swimming pool without having to tear the phone open. Mercifully, the patent factors in a membrane to prevent an overly humid day from triggering a false positive. There's still no immediate clue as to whether or not Apple will receive the patent, which strikes us as odd for a technology that's been used in the field for so long -- not that the company has needed the USPTO's blessing to void the warranty (or offer a rare free replacement) for more than a few waterlogged iPhones over the past five years. Update: After a little fine-tooth comb inspection, we've found that this is the long-awaited granting itself, not just a continuation. Apple will be happy, although others trying to use a similar water detection system will be turning red... for reasons besides getting wet.
Sony patent filing for glasses would share data face to face, carry more than a hint of Project Glass
Google might not realize it, but Project Glass isn't alone in the patent race these days. Sony has quietly applied for a patent on a familiar-looking smart glasses system whose advantage over Mountain View would be an emphasis on things in twos. Eyepieces are the most obvious, but Sony is also keen on sharing data between two friends: transmitters on a pair of glasses would send personal info through a likely very uncomfortable glance at someone else with the same eyewear. If your friends are more than a little weirded out from sharing by staring, the proposed glasses could still pick up information from visual tags on posters, products and virtually anything else. There's even the obligatory connection to a watch for sharing data with the rest of the world. Whether or not the patent leads to Sony head-mounted technology more advanced than a personal 3D TV is still up in the air, especially with Google currently hogging the spotlight... not that existing, more conservative designs have ever stopped Sony from rolling out wild concepts before.
Samsung files patents for robot that mimics human walking and breathing, ratchets up the creepy factor
As much as Samsung is big on robots, it hasn't gone all-out on the idea until a just-published quartet of patent applications. The filings have a robot more directly mimicking a human walk and adjusting the scale to get the appropriate speed without the unnatural, perpetually bent gait of certain peers. To safely get from point A to point B, any path is chopped up into a series of walking motions, and the robot constantly checks against its center of gravity to stay upright as it walks uphill or down. All very clever, but we'd say Samsung is almost too fond of the uncanny valley: one patent has rotating joints coordinate to simulate the chest heaves of human breathing. We don't know if the company will ever put the patents to use; these could be just feverish dreams of one-upping Honda's ASIMO at its own game. But if it does, we could be looking at Samsung-made androids designed like humans rather than for them.
Google files for a patent on peer-to-peer location finding, says cell tower triangulation is for chumps
Crowdsourcing map data itself isn't a surprise; it's been the cornerstone of OpenStreetMap and is about to get a big boost through iOS 6. Crowdsourcing actual positions is still a relatively untapped resource, however, and Google thinks that it might just be the ticket to getting a device's location when GPS alone doesn't cut it. Much as your current phone uses triangulation between cell sites to help speed up a position lock, a technique in a new Google patent application uses the physical distances between nearby devices to get a complete picture, even if GPS is completely on the fritz. The peer-to-peer technique still needs an internet connection to reach the central service piecing information together -- there isn't much help if you're in areas where reliable internet access isn't always guaranteed. Likewise, there's no certainty that Google will use the patent in a future build of Android or Chrome OS. If it does, though, at least some of us may say goodbye to the days of our map positioning going haywire the moment we drive through a tunnel or step into an office without WiFi.
Nokia patent filing uses steering wheel touch for media controls, turns your radio on with that lovin' feeling
Nokia has only ever had a fleeting involvement with cars, but if it brings a just-published patent application to fruition, the Lumia maker could be front and center for drivers. The technology it wants would detect vibrations in the steering wheel to let the driver control music, GPS and other components of the car's center stack just by touching particular spots on the wheel itself -- no overabundance of buttons here. Underneath, it would use temporal sensing to register input, and filtering would prevent the wheel from interpreting speed bumps as cues to turn on the stereo. Nokia's mobile know-how mostly comes into play through the option of using a mobile device like a smartphone to handle tasks rather than having to build something directly into the wheel. Given that the company is currently cutting everything back, it's more likely to license the patent out rather than trying to build anything itself, if anything happens at all. Should the patent eventually come to use, you could end up tenderly caressing the wheel for all your in-car media controls... just be sure to buy it some chocolate and roses first.
Apple files for a patent on an iPhone with swappable lenses, picky mobile photographers rejoice
Taking phone photography seriously is certainly possible. Short of tacking on a slightly ludicrous add-on case, however, you're normally stuck with whatever lens the phone designer deems fit. Unless Apple uses technology from a very out-of-left-field patent application, that is. The invention would make an iPhone's back panel removable so that owners could swap out lenses like they would with a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. Apple has even raised the possibility of a panel with two lenses built-in at opposite corners: to switch to a telephoto lens or a different filter, you'd only need to flip the panel around to use the additional glass. It's all quite wild, although it's for that reason that the patent might never get used. The company isn't a fan of replaceable parts, after all. But if the photographer for your future wedding shows up with nothing but an iPhone and a bag full of back plates, you'll know why -- even if you're still left scratching your head.
Google patent application could give Project Glass one true ring controller to rule them all
Let's face it: right now, the head nods and other rudimentary controls of Google's Project Glass are mostly useful for looking good, sharing photos and not much else. A US patent application submitted last September and just now published, however, raises the possibility of more sophisticated control coming from your hands. A ring, a bracelet or a even a fake fingernail with an infrared-reflective layer would serve as a gesture control marker for a receiver on heads-up display glasses. Having this extra control would give the glasses-mounted computing room to grow by learning gestures, and it could even depend on multiple ornaments for more sophisticated commands -- at least, if you don't mind looking like a very nerdy Liberace. We can imagine the headaches a hand-based method might cause for very enthusiastic talkers, among other possible hiccups, so don't be surprised if Project Glass goes without any kind of ring input. That said, we suspect that Sauron would approve.
RIM continues its fuel cell streak, applies for two more patents
Looks like RIM is more interested in fuel cell technology than we thought: the BlackBerry maker has just applied for two closely related patents for including a fuel cell in an electronic device, one for the frame and one for the fuel tank itself. Although the primary aim of either patent is to show how to fit a fuel cell into the tight space of a mobile gadget, they do show a more rectangular and modern device chassis than the last patent we saw, which had more than a slight whiff of the classic BlackBerry about it. Neither application is necessarily a roadmap for the future, and they don't mean your next BlackBerry smartphone will need top-ups of lighter fluid or methanol every few weeks. Still, they hint that fuel cells are at least somewhat more than a passing fancy in Waterloo.
Meizu tablet case patent application hints at slate plans
Like most other mobile companies out there, it appears Meizu is looking to branch out from cellphones to tablets. It's a little too early to say for sure what the manufacturer's plans are, but a recent patent filing by Jo Young Soo, Meizu's lead designer, with China's SIPO (State Intellectual Property Office) gives a hint that a slate may be in the works. The application isn't for a tablet, per se, but for a protective case that holds a tablet and keyboard. Now, it's quite a leap from case to tablet, but Meizu doesn't seem like the type of company to suddenly jump into the third-party iPad accessory market. Obviously we'll just have to wait and see what happens, but don't be shocked if the Chinese manufacturer hops into the Honeycomb fray soon.
Patent suggest link between Apple's wireless charging and WiTricity
Along with several rumors that seemed far-fetched, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that Apple is looking at a new charging capability for the 2012 iPhone -- most likely wireless. Now an international patent filing by Apple seems to be linking the company to 2007 startup WiTricity, a group that is working on extending inductive charging to a distance of several meters. HP's Palm Pre uses wireless inductive charging, but requires that the device be in physical contact with the charging "Touchstone." Apple's patent filing, which was first published in May, describes a situation where an iMac is used to create a charging zone. Any device, whether it be a mouse, a keyboard, an iPhone or an iPad, is charged simply by being within 1 meter of the computer. The link between Apple and WiTricity comes from a reference in the patent filing to the original paper published by MIT researchers which is the basis of WiTricity's technology. For a look at a demo of the WiTricity wireless power capabilities in action (including an iPhone powered by the company's technology), check out the video below from the 2009 TED conference.
Apple patent filing outlines social networking for shopping
While a lot of shopping is making the move to online stores, for many people there's no substitute for the real thing -- going to a store, browsing merchandise and picking up and trying on things. A recent patent filing by Apple, discovered by AppleInsider, demonstrates a Ping-like social networking service that lets shoppers chat with others, ask for suggestions, get a "thumbs-up / thumbs-down" on a potential purchase and more. The filing, titled "Social Networking in Shopping Environments," is intriguing. Apple envisions special kiosks in stores where shoppers can download information and photos of products, then use their iPhones to send queries to friends. The screenshot shows a simple Yes / No answer to a question to friends about buying something, several queries to followers to get suggestions or help and a rating system for a store. By allowing shoppers to coordinate complex discussions with friends without having to bring the friends along to the store, this social networking system would stimulate shopping. That's similar to how Ping is supposed to work, by showing your friends the music you like and getting them interested in purchasing it as well. For those who like to hang with their friends and go out for an afternoon of power shopping, this won't be a substitute. As always, this patent filing doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will ever produce a social networking system for shoppers. Rather, the company is just protecting its intellectual property. [via The Loop]
Nintendo patent filing reveals inflatable cushion controller for horse riding, shark jumping
"For centuries throughout the world, horseback riding has captured the imagination of adventurous people. In the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the horse was a symbol of power. In medieval Europe and Japan, horses were essential for quick movement across large distances and were often used in warfare. In the American wild west, the horse was a cowboy's constant companion and a symbol of self-reliance and adventure." - Nintendo patent application, building up to... an inflatable cushion for your Wiimote. Really. [Via Joystiq]
Creative patent filing reveals drag and drop interface with "action tabs"
Creative's made itself pretty well acquainted with the FCC as of late, and it looks like it's also been doing its part to keep the old Patent and Trademark Office busy as well, with a recently revealed application showing off some plans for a drag and drop touchscreen interface. That's obviously somewhat of a tricky area to patent, but it seems that Creative's big new idea is something called "action tabs" that could be used for something as simple as tabbed web browsing, but would apparently also be applied to other OS elements as well -- letting you drag something to the clipboard, for instance, or drag a photo to an action item of some sort. Just as interesting as the patent itself, however, is the fact that it's assigned to Creative subsidiary 3DLABS, now known as ZiiLABS, makers of the touchscreen-based Zii EGG. Like we said, interesting.[Via Tech in Hiding]
RIM patent filing reveals hybrid capacitive / resistive touchscreens
RIM's no stranger to playing different tricks with touchscreens, and it looks like it may have another up its sleeve, with a recent patent application revealing some plans for a hybrid capacitive / resistive touchscreen. As you might expect, the idea here is to take the best aspects from each and form one super touchscreen, which would have the general usability and "goodness" of capacitive displays, and the added benefits of a resistive screen, like better support for stylus-based input. Of course, such a screen would also likely eliminate one of the biggest advantages of resistive displays -- their cost-effectiveness -- so it seems safe to assume that it'd be reserved for higher-end phones to start with.[Via Unwired View]
Apple patent filing details "touch and go" USB devices
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Apple_patent_filing_details_touch_and_go_USB_devices'; We already caught sight of a whole batch of Apple patent applications earlier this month, but it looks like the company still has a few more big ideas up its sleeve, which may or may not actually come to fruition. The most interesting of those is what's described as a "Portable Device Capable of Initiating Disengagement from Host System," or a "touch and go" system as AppleInsider calls it. That, as you may be able to discern, is essentially a touch sensor tied to a USB drive or other USB device, which would be able to sense when you touch it (or even when you're about to touch it, apparently), and then disconnect the device from the computer before you're able to cause any data corruption. Better still, the system could apparently also double as a fingerprint sensor in some implementations, and completely lock down the device if an unauthorized user grabs it.[Via AppleInsider]
Apple patent filing shows off activity monitor for skiers, bikers
Fans of more extreme sports will probably be stoked to hear that Apple just might be developing a device with them in mind. Apple Insider's discovered a recent patent filing that could possibly signal the development of a monitoring device (much like Nike+) which can detect, track, and display a visual and quantitative measure, for instance, of a skier's speed and air time. The device looks like it would contain one or more loft sensors (in one photo it is shown installed in a snowboard) and a microprocessor subsystem to determine loft time. There are of course, no guarantees that a product like this will ever see the light of day, but we sure hope so: runner favoritism must end. One more page of the filing after the break.
