More Apple Patents [Updated]
The list includes technologies related to Expose, Video conferencing, music submissions and iPod technology.
The "Media player with acceleration protection" patent (applied in June 2003) covers fall protection for the iPod:
The portable computing device protects its disk drive by monitoring for such accelerations and operating to avoid usage of the disk drive during periods of acceleration. Through such protection, the likelihood of damage to the disk drive or loss of data stored on the disk drive is able to be substantially reduced. According to another aspect, a user of a portable computing device can be alerted when the portable computing device is being subjected to undesirable levels of acceleration.
Of note, IBM introduced similar technology in their ThinkPad notebooks in late 2003.
Patent applications can be found at the US Patent and Trademark Office website.
[UPDATE] - Another patent has surfaced today - "Apparatus for remotely controlling a digital processing system" - otherwise known as a mouse with a touch-sensitive scroll mechanism. Since its inception, Apple has not directly offered a mouse with a scroll wheel except from third parties.
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It would be great if they came up with a scratch resistant ipod.
This is ridiculous. I don't think Apple should be wasting time on patenting new ideas and technologies while there are still millions of people to sue out there. Hopefully Apple will wise up and sue at least three people responding to this thread.
Apple is considering a new device... The iStenograph machine for use in all future lawsuits...... :rolleyes:
Music submissions sounds interesting. They will become a music label. My guess is more information about this at MacWorld.
Hmm ... what will Apple Corps/The Beatles have to say about this? :eek:
an expose patent, eh? Guess that's one feature we will NOT see in Longhorn. Go Apple, that's one thing you needed to patent.
Hey! Some guys have allready gotten around to make Exposé for Windows. Maybe Apple will sue them soon.. Or at least stop the program.
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2004/12/23.5.shtml
News.com
Of note, IBM introduced similar technology in their ThinkPad notebooks in late 2003.
Yes this technology is new as of this year on IBM T40's, T42's, and their ultraportables X40's.
"The airbag-like IBM Active Protection System provides unique data protection on select ThinkPad T and X Series models. Using an integrated, user-configurable motion sensor, it safeguards your valuable data by continuously monitoring your ThinkPad notebook and temporarily stopping the hard drive to help prevent some hard drive crashes when a fall or similar event is detected — providing up to four times greater impact protection than systems without this feature. And the IBM ThinkPad HDD Shock Absorber provides impact protection from crashes that could occur when setting the notebook on a hard surface while in use — up to 30% more protection than the system case alone." (excerpt from: http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/thinkpad/xseries/index.html#aps)
You can find a presentation here about it:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/presentations/aps/56/index.html
In real world experience, the hard drive head is parked when the g sensor inside is triggered.
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