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Google patent filing would identify faces in videos, spot the You in YouTube
Face detection is a common sight in still photography, but it's a rarity in video outside of certain research projects. Google may be keen to take some of the mystery out of those clips through a just-published patent application: its technique uses video frames to generate clusters of face representations that are attached to a given person. By knowing what a subject looks like from various angles, Google could then attach a name to a face whenever it shows up in a clip, even at different angles and in strange lighting conditions. The most obvious purpose would be to give YouTube viewers a Flickr-like option to tag people in videos, but it could also be used to spot people in augmented reality apps and get their details -- imagine never being at a loss for information about a new friend as long as you're wearing Project Glass. As a patent, it's not a definitive roadmap for where Google is going with any of its properties, but it could be a clue as to the search giant's thinking. Don't be surprised if YouTube can eventually prove that a Google+ friend really did streak across the stage at a concert.
Apple patents Siri-like system for controlling cameras, PMPs through a computer or smartphone
"Siri, turn on the flash and take three pictures with my camera after waiting two seconds." Apple's intelligent voice control system has been wildly popular amongst consumers in the U.S., and abroad, but Siri could be making her way to other devices in the future, including iPods, cameras and other consumer electronics. "Okay, Rock God, I will take your picture in two, one..." A patent by Apple filed in 2010 but published today describes a scenario in which you could control a secondary electronic device using your voice, with all of the backend processing passing through a connected smartphone or computer. According to the patent: One embodiment may include a first electronic device communicatively coupled to a server and to a second electronic device. The second electronic device may be a portable electronic device, such as a digital media player, that includes a voice user interface. The second electronic device may be capable of accurate speech recognition, but may not include additional computation hardware and/or software for training the speech recognition engine. As such, the bulk, weigh, and cost for manufacturing the second electronic device may be reduced, resulting in a more portable and affordable product.In other words, you could have Siri-like control of virtually any device, with all of the required hardware and software residing on an iPhone or MacBook, linked with other devices over WiFi or Bluetooth. Voice control wouldn't be practical in all situations, but it could be enormously helpful for certain operations, like adjusting settings or reviewing images. Instead of scrolling through hundreds of images, you could simply say "Siri, show me pictures from last Thursday," and see exactly the shots you were searching for. As always, this is one of thousands of Apple patents, and it quite possibly may never come to fruition as described. But here's to hoping it will. "Siri, show our readers the patent application" -- you'll find it at the source link below.Update: Well, it looks like we missed the mark a little bit here, as this is a patent application, not a granted patent. It's for a voice control system where a device receives voice commands and turns them into text using a speech-recognition algorithm received from a remote server -- which sounds an awful lot like Siri.
Samsung patents phone skins, mood swings, Amazon
See that crazy faceplate with matching wallpaper that sells for two-a-penny on Amazon? Well, Samsung wants to patent something even worse. It's so bad we had to hide it away after the break. (Honestly, don't look at it -- unlike the USPTO, you won't get paid for your trouble.) At first we believed the hype that it was some kind of wild Super-OLED-lenticular-transparent-flexible-display concept for smartphones, but now we're not so sure. The patent application simply refers to a printed "film layer" stuck onto a smartphone's case, which aligns with images on the display and gives the impression of a seamless all-over skin. Refuse to believe that anyone would try to claim exclusive rights over something so old and so commonplace? Go on then, have a gander.
Apple patents suggest iPad "kickstand," graphics pen
Apple's R&D is always hard at work coming up with various ideas for Apple products, and when they do, Apple usually lays down the paperwork for patents on them, whether they're destined for actual release or not. A few of these wacky ideas have popped up in the USPTO lately, and while they'll likely never see the light of day as real products, they do show just how busy they are coming up with new ideas in Cupertino. First up, one of the patents describes a built-in stand for the iPad. We've certainly seen plenty of third-party stands for Apple's tablet, but Apple has apparently designed an official solution that bends out from the back and holds in two positions -- one for standing up straight and another for standing down lower, as you'd have it if you were typing out something on the keyboard. The stand would feature a dual hinge, and it could even be rotated around. Elsewhere in the patent office, Apple is also working on something surprising: a stylus for use on its touchscreen surfaces. Steve Jobs famously said that "if you see a stylus, they blew it," but apparently some of Apple's engineers disagree and are working on a prototype. The stylus would provide more exact interaction with the touchscreen (Apple's patent describes how to get the smaller stylus working with a touchscreen built for fingers), and it would likely make tasks like drawing and writing easier on the iPad and iPhone. Both patents are interesting, but don't hold your breath on seeing these on stage at the next event.
PRIME hand injury diagnosis system takes hold of innovation prize
It may look like little more than a pegboard and a force meter at present, but the PRIME hand-strength measuring device has already won first place at the IShow innovation showcase. Its magic lies in the custom software loaded onto the appended PDA, which makes it possible to accurately and repeatably diagnose hand and wrist injuries that doctors currently test for by squeezing and prodding. The Rice University students responsible for the Peg Restrained Intrinsic Muscle Evaluator have applied for a patent and are planning to commercialize the device, so we'll be looking for it on the next episode of House.[Via Physorg]
Apple applies for trademark on the "Grand Central" Snow Leopard feature
When Apple announced Snow Leopard, they also detailed a new developer service that can be used to full take advantage of the dual cores in newer Intel Macs. The Apple website tells us the following about GrandCentral: Grand Central takes full advantage [of the processor cores] by making all of Mac OS X multicore aware and optimizing it for allocating tasks across multiple cores and processors. Grand Central also makes it much easier for developers to create programs that squeeze every last drop of power from multicore systems.MacNN is reporting that Apple applied for a trademark on the name "Grand Central" under USPTO serial number 77626943. The trademark was filed under "009" classification, which is "computer software; computer operating system software." We can only wonder if this trademark filing will cause an uproar from Google, who acquired the Grand Central telephony service.Continue reading to see a screenshot of the trademark filing.[via MacNN]
Rumor: Apple patent points to "iPhone nano?"
Now this is interesting. Apple applied for a patent today that depicts an iPod-looking device with a simple clickwheel that displays numbers...much like an old rotary phone. Could it be a low-cost sibling for the iPhone?This is all speculation, of course, but Apple does offer both a high end and a low end iPod; would a basic companion to the iPhone not make sense? Some users just want to make and receive calls, and couldn't be bothered with all that hoity-toity "internet" stuff.Thanks, Chris![Via Gizmodo]PS - Here's a little something for everyone who is sick of hearing about iPhone.
