Apple preps Jobsian magic wand
Putting the TV in Apple TV
An Apple patent filing on Thursday reveals the company's plans for a cursor-controlling remote with more than a few tricks up its sleeve, and which may hint at the big-screen Apple television that has been the subject of many a rumor.
Patent application #20090066648, entitled "GUI Applications for Use with 3D Remote Controller," takes the familiar Apple Remote and upgrades it to a motion-sensing, infrared-communicating 3D mouse and "flashlight."
As described in the filing, the wand will include a "motion detection component" such as an accelerometer or gyroscope, and will be able to communicate with a "media system" both through movement sensed by that detector and through absolute positioning determined by one or more infrared (IR) sensors, as does the überpopular Nintendo Wii.
Of Apple's current products, the most obvious beneficiary would be the company's "hobby" product, the Apple TV. To make it work with an existing big-screen TV, the wand would require an add-on IR receiver, as does the Wii.
Or Apple could release its own big-screen TV - aka "media system" - with IR sensors built-in.
The 68-page filing goes into excruciating detail as to how the wand could interface with the aforementioned media system. Unlike the Apple Remote, which merely allows you to beam commands toward your Apple TV much as does any standard remote (although with a vastly simplified array of buttons), the wand would provide the ability to manipulate objects on-screen.
By being able to broadcast to the media system its distance and orientation in addition to simply sending it commands, the wand could function as a 3D cursor controller.
In its most-basic use, the wand could scroll through lists by simply flicking them as does your finger on an iPhone, then click on a selection with the press of a button.
In its most-basic use, the proposed wand could control a cursor
It could also call up an icon dock à la Mac OS X, then display a cursor which could launch an application by clicking on a selected icon.
You could use the wand to call up a dock full of application icons
One such application could, for example, display thumbnails of all the images, albums, or movies in your iPhoto and iTunes collection.
The filing describes how the wand could be used to scroll through the thumbnails either horizontally or vertically, then choose one for viewing, listening, editing, or cropping.
The wand could flick through thumbnails much as your finger flicks an iPhone
Next page: Rotating, typing, drawing, and flashlighting
COMMENTS
@ Ascylto
Understood. The last resort when a person has lost an argument is to rely on personal attacks against the individual. Thanks for declaring my points un-arguable.
As to my grammar and spelling errors, I apologize. But regardless, My argument still stands, even with my poor grammar.
And in fact, I am British, albeit living in America. Don't act like our (UK) education is world class.
@BrynnBrenner. Oh dear ...
"Yea" ... A common misspelling of the word "yeah" which means "yes."
"You're" ... should read 'your' otherwise it means 'You are'.
Looking at your other writing leads me to think you may be American ... in which case it's not your fault but the fault of we British for not teaching you properly.
Um... reality check
@ Rolf-
You said: "And don't forget the main reason for companies like Apple to try to patent these seemingly obvious extensions is to protect them from some opportunistic third party coming along and trying to patent this sort of thing themselves, ie. it's to ensure that Apple itself is allowed implement such a device, not necessarily to stop other people doing something similar."
Last time I checked, patents were not so a company could do something, its so a company can keep others from doing it. Companies get patents so they can lock anyone else out of the idea unless they pay some ass high license. If you dont believe me, go read the details at the actual patent offices. (I did just to be clear on this).
Need I remind you about your precious Apple wanting to sue Palm becuase of Palm's new User interaction on the Pre? Yea, they have no problem with other companies doing something similar.
Sigh... You're apple fanboy status is becoming legendary.
@AC - @Ted
Apart from your ignorant anonymous input, try going on a basic spelling course. "Loosing" should be LOSING, as in LOSER (you). Or are you one of those who claim to be dyslexic because you can't spell properly or use the apostrophe correctly?
Who's the w@nker now?
@Rolf
"You guys obviously still don't get how patents work. The novel feature isn't having a gadget with an accelerometer you can wave about, a la Wiimote, it's the application thereof to control a media centre (eg. zooming in to photos, or choosing songs to purchase from a music store)."
Yes, because no one with a Wii has ever used it for exactly those things. Ever. Oh, wait...
This patent application is garbage.
