World of Apple

A filing made by Apple in January 2007 shows that the company may have interest in merging visual maps and spoken directions.

The mix of a visual map and spoken directions would be assembled together to create a “Podmap”, which could then be transferred to an iPod or iPhone.

“In this regard, the application server can reply to the client program to notify the client that the requested podmap is now available from the podmap RSS server. The client program can then interact with the podmap RSS server to retrieve the requested podmap,” Apple said.

“In any event, once the requested podmap is resident at the client or the portable media device, the podmap is able to be played on such devices. Due to their support of media playback, the client and the portable media device can also be referred to as media playback devices. When being played, the podmap presents to the user of the device the voice directions and the corresponding images so that the user is able to successfully navigate from the start location to the destination location. It is particularly useful to play on the portable media device because it can be easily carried or transferred by the user.”

Integrated monitor and docking station - Patent Link

A patent application submitted in 2006 has been published for the first time revealing that Apple could be working on a docking system for portable computers. The dock itself closely resembles the look of the current iMac.

A docking station is disclosed. The docking station includes a display and a housing configured to hold the display in a manner that exposes a viewing surface of the display to view. The housing defines a docking area configured to receive a portable computer; The docking area is at least partly obscured by the display when viewed from the viewing surface side of the display at an angle substantially orthogonal to the viewing surface.

Traditionally a portable computer docking station requires a separate external monitor to be connected (e.g., by cable) to the docking station when a display other than the integrated display of the portable computer is desired to be used with the docking station. Often a significant amount of desk space is required for placement of this docking station and separate display. Attempts have been made to conserve the required amount of desk space by allowing the external display to be stacked on top of the docking station. However, the stacked combination still occupies a large amount of space and is cumbersome to move and transport. Therefore there exists a need for a docking station and display combination that is configured in a more efficient form.

Dynamically Controlled Keyboard

Another published patent application filed in March 2007 shows off Apple’s potential plans to offer a dynamically changing keyboard using OLED (organic light emitting diodes) on each key.

Optimus keyboard

The project appears very similar to that of the Optimus keyboard, which is widely publicised but yet to begin shipping.

The patent writes:

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a computer peripheral including one or more keys. Each key has several light emitting diodes disposed on a face of the key. Each of the light emitting diodes can switch on or off in response to a data signal received from an application specific integrated circuit dedicated to the key. A corresponding key and manufacturing method, as well as a computer system including one or more such keys are also described.

Fujitsu, Hitachi Quit Micro Hard-Drive Business, Icon Wiggle in Patent

A report from Reuters notes that an increasing shift to flash-based storage has forced Fujitsu and Hitachi out of the ultra-small rotating hard drive business.

Both Fujitsu and Hitachi had supplied micro hard-drives for Apple’s iPod in the past but even Apple has begun moving across to flash-based storage with the iPod classic being the last remaining hard-drive based iPod.

Toshiba continues to make micro hard-drives.

Icon Wiggle in Patent

Hrmpf.com has noted that the recent icon wiggle seen in the recent videos of iPhone Firmware 1.1.3 are reminiscent of that in a recently published patent.

The patent filing for a reconfigurable touchscreen interface notes in detail the wiggle of the icons when a user selects them.

The patent does include some details of the ability to “toss” icons which appears to have not made it to the iPhone in firmware update 1.1.3.

Final Cut Meeting Holds Answers

AppleInsider writes that a collection of Final Cut Pro user groups will hold a meeting at Macworld Expo later this month.

According to the rumour site Apple will have a surprise for the attending guests.

The meeting which will take place on January 16th; the day following Steve Jobs’ anticipated Keynote will feature “something super secret” from Apple.

Apple has developed an idea of reducing shipping and packaging costs by selling software on smaller discs which could then be used in slot-loading optical drives built for standard 12 cm CDs and DVDs a new patent filing reveals.

The filing which was made in May 2006 but only revealed last Thursday explains that conventional rotating memory storage discs such as CDs and DVDs are currently produced in standard 12 cm and reduced diameter 8 cm configurations.

However slot loading drives live those used on the MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac are incapable of taking advantage of the smaller medium.

“In such situations it would be advantageous to use a reduced diameter (lower storage capacity) disc,” the filing explained. “Such advantages include reduced shipping costs, reduced production costs, etc.”

The solution appears to be an adapter capable of folding half that can hold the 8cm discs and allow them to be placed into a slot loading drive.

Diagram of compactable memory disc adapter

“However, this solution does nothing to reduce shipping costs since the rigid adapter (with its larger footprint) must be shipped with the reduced diameter disc and therefore a standard sized shipping container must be used to accommodate both the rigid adapter and reduced diameter disc,” writes the patent author. “What is needed is a cost effective method and apparatus for shipping reduced diameter discs that assures the end user will be able to use the reduced diameter disc in a slot drive designed exclusively for a standard diameter disc.”

The invention is currently dubbed a “compactable memory disc adapter” that can be shipped in a compact form and expanded by the customer once extracted from the retail packaging.

Apple appears to be making moves across the globe to trademark the term “multi-touch.”

Multi-touch is the famous technology that brought us the iPhone and Apple has made recent explorations into multi-touch mice as seen in a patent filings.

Apple has filed for the term in a Far East Intellectual Property Office as well as with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Both with an application date of June 30.

The following is a description of the term “multi-touch” from the trademark application;

IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Handheld mobile digital electronic devices with electronic mail, digital data transmission, audio player, video player, handheld computer, personal digital assistant, electronic organizer, electronic notepad, telephone, computer gaming, and camera functions, and computer software for use with such devices

A patent application filed by Apple in March 2006 shows that the company may well be looking into other uses for multi-touch technology.

Apple lists the following as some of the claims for the filing;

1. A configurable mouse with an extended sensing surface, which provides the mouse a customizable, programmable or adaptable way of generating inputs, the mouse including an arbitrarily shaped grippable member having a 3D shape, a position detection mechanism that detects the movement of the mouse along a surface, a multipoint touch detection mechanism that detects one or more objects that are contacting or in close proximity to a substantially large portion of the grippable member, and a controller for processing signals generated by the position detection mechanism and multipoint touch detection mechanism.

3. The configurable mouse as recited in claim 1 wherein the grippable member is formed from a single member with a full continuous surface, which defines the front, sides, back and top surfaces of the mouse.

In another embodiment the touch sensitive mouse would use a built-in light source and an “optically transmissive surface” to trace finger positions.

Gestures can also be used to invoke and manipulate virtual control interfaces, such as volume knobs, switches, sliders, handles, knobs, doors, and other widgets that may be created to facilitate human interaction with the computing system.

Apple Seeking to Use RFID for Easy Network Configuration

A patent application filed by Apple was revealed late last week, it reveals that Apple may make use of RFID tags to help with the configuration of wireless networks.

Apple offers the following abstract for the patent;

A system for automatic configuration and authentication of network devices is disclosed. A network base station, e.g., a wireless router, includes an RFID transceiver. A network device includes an RFID tag. Then the network device is brought into proximity with the base station, an exchange of information takes place between the RFID transceiver in the base station and the RFID tag in the device. When the network device is powered on, it reads the information in its RFID tag and uses this information to establish a limited connection to the base station. Once connected, the base station and network device exchange authentication and encryption parameters over the limited connection and thus establish a fully functional and secure network connection between the network base station and the network device.

H.264 Hardware Decoder Chips in Macs?

Cringely has written an article on his website which contains a rumour about Apple planning to incorporate H.264 decoding processors in future Macs.

Now comes the rumor I have heard, that I believe to be a fact, that has simply yet to be confirmed. I have heard that Apple plans to add hardware video decoding to ALL of its new computers beginning fairly soon, certainly this year.

The chip which is said to cost $50 will not only allow efficient decoding of H.264 video but also allows users to encode H.264 video.

Apple filed a patent protecting its Resolution Independent on July 21, 2006, Apple today was granted this patent.

FIG. 4 shows a screen image of a graphical user interface object design application in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

In the patent application Apple describes the invention as;

Graphical user interface material map objects are specified by a collection of attribute-value pairs, the collection of which comprises a complete description of the material map and may be used by a rendering engine to create a visual representation of the material map at any resolution. That is, material map representations in accordance with the invention are resolution independent. Another benefit of representing material maps in accordance with the invention is that they may be encrypted to prevent unauthorized inspection or use.

Apple makes the following claims about the invention within the patent application;

Claim 1. A method to represent a material map for a graphical user interface element, comprising: receiving a plurality of values for a material map, the material map for use with a graphical user interface element; associating each received value with a display attribute, the display attributes sufficiently complete to permit the material map to be rendered; and storing the plurality of display attributes and their associated values in a file.

screen images of various features of a material map editor window in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

The following background information is offered in the application;

[0002] The invention relates generally to graphical user interface design and more particularly to a means for specifying a graphical user interface object in a procedural and largely display resolution independent manner.

[0003] Designing an efficient, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing user interface is an integral stage of most application development projects. The graphical user interface (”GUI”) is what the user sees and interacts with. Accordingly, the GUI must present information and choices to a user in a way that is not only pleasing and natural to the eye but conducive to efficient use of the underlying application. One major concern in the development of modern GUIs is the resolution of the various objects that comprise the GUI. Typically, a designer designs a graphical user interface object (e.g., a pushbutton, scrollbar, or slider) for a specified resolution. As the resolution of the user’s display changes, however, display of the originally designed object may become distorted. This is particularly a problem when a graphical object is designed at a first resolution (e.g., 75 or 100 pixels per inch) and the user’s display is at a second, higher resolution (e.g., 120 or 150 pixels per inch).

screen images of a light source editor window in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0004] In the past, two general techniques have been used to address the problem associated with displaying objects designed for a first resolution but which are displayed at a second resolution. In the first, an original (low resolution) object is up-sampled to generate a larger image (e.g., through linear or bicubic interpolation). This technique results in blurry edges such that the user interface no longer looks crisp. In the second, an original object is designed for display at a high resolution and is then down-sampled to an unknown target resolution. While useful in some circumstances, it is not possible a priori to know what width to give a line (e.g., an object’s edge) at the higher resolution such that when down-sampled it remains crisp. This is particularly true when there are multiple target resolutions. Thus, both up-sampling and down-sampling techniques tend to disturb the designer’s specified line width. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that line width is a critical factor in GUI design as the width of lines define the edge of graphical objects. If edges appear blurry or ill-defined, the entire GUI design may be compromised.

On Apple’s Developer website, writes the following note;

The old assumption that displays are 72dpi has been rendered obsolete by advances in display technology. Macs now ship with displays that sport native resolutions of 100dpi or better. Furthermore, the number of pixels per inch will continue to increase dramatically over the next few years. This will make displays crisper and smoother, but it also means that interfaces that are pixel-based will shrink to the point of being unusable. The solution is to remove the 72dpi assumption that has been the norm. In Leopard, the system, including the Carbon and Cocoa frameworks, will be able to draw user interface elements using a scale factor. This will let the user interface maintain the same physical size while gaining resolution and crispness from high dpi displays.

The introduction of resolution independence may mean that there is work that you’ll need to do in order to make your application look as good as possible. For modern Cocoa and Carbon applications, most of the work will center around raster-based resources. For older applications that use QuickDraw, more work will be required to replace QuickDraw-based calls with Quartz ones.

Apple describes the patent as “A handheld computing device is disclosed. The handheld computing device includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a ceramic material that is radio-transparent.”

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a seamless enclosure, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Apple claims the following about the invention patent which was filed on August 7, 2006.

• [Claim 1] A portable computing device capable of wireless communications, the portable computing device comprising: an enclosure that surrounds and protects the internal operational components of the portable computing device, the enclosure including a structural wall formed from a ceramic material that permits wireless communications therethrough.
• [Claim 2] The portable computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable computing device is capable of radio frequency communications and wherein the structural wall formed from a ceramic material is radio-transparent.
• [Claim 3] The portable computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the ceramic material is zirconia.
• [Claim 4] The portable computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the ceramic material is alumina.
• [Claim 6] The portable computing device as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable computing device is a handheld computing device.
• [Claim 7] The portable computing device as recited in claim 6 wherein the handheld computing device is a cell phone.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective diagram of an electronic device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

The patent is summarised with the following statements:-

The invention relates, in one embodiment, to a portable computing device capable of wireless communications. The portable computing device includes an enclosure that surrounds and protects the internal operational components of the portable computing device. The enclosure includes a structural wall formed from a ceramic material that permits wireless communications therethrough. The wireless communications may for example correspond to RF communications, and further the ceramic material may be radio-transparent thereby allowing RF communications therethrough.

The invention relates, in another embodiment, to a handheld computing device. The handheld computing device includes a seamless tube formed from a ceramic material and extending along a longitudinal axis. The seamless tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end. The elongated seamless tube defines an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for insertion of operational components of the handheld computing device.