New iPhone patents portend object ID, enhanced messaging

Days after the discovery of new patent applications [1] suggesting future editions of the iPhone could feature a touchscreen enhanced by haptics feedback technology as well as fingerprint identification safeguards, a series of new Apple patents has surfaced, this time indicating the iPhone could soon offer object identification tools, improved messaging and pre-populated media content. United States Patent Application 20090175499 [2] outlines "systems and methods for identifying an object and presenting additional information about the identified object are provided"--i.e., the iPhone could automatically determine a user's present environment and offer them contextual information via RFID reader, camera or related image capture solutions. "For example, if the user selects to identify an object in a 'MUSEUM' mode, the portable electronic device can search the identification database for objects that are commonly found in a museum," the patent reads. "In some embodiments, the portable electronic device can determine the location of the user to help identify an object. For example, if the user is determined to be in Las Vegas and the portable electronic device is set to a 'RESTAURANT' mode, the device can limit the search of the identification database to restaurants in Las Vegas."

Two separate filings propose enhanced messaging solutions. U.S. Patent Application 2009017750 [3] details parental controls to filter objectionable content from their children's text messages. "Systems, devices, and methods are provided for enabling a user to control the content of text-based messages sent to or received from an administered device," the filing reads. "In some embodiments, a message will be blocked (incoming or outgoing) if the message includes forbidden content. In other embodiments, the objectionable content is removed from the message prior to transmission or as part of the receiving process. The content of such a message is controlled by filtering the message based on defined criteria. The criteria may be defined according to a parental control application. These techniques also may be used, in accordance with instructional embodiments, to require the administered devices to include certain text in messages. These embodiments might, for example, require that a certain number of Spanish words per day be included in e-mails for a child learning Spanish." In addition, application 20090176517 [4] proposes a "messaging application [that] can be activated on a mobile device for determining whether messages were successfully transmitted from the mobile device to one or more specified recipients. The messaging application provides a user interface that allows the user to resend the message to those recipients who did not receive the message or to cancel the message. In one implementation, the state of input text composed for failed messages is retained so that the user does not have to retype the entire message before the message is retransmitted."

Patent Application 20090177699 [5] details "methods and systems for obtaining and using media devices that are pre-populated with media items of interest. In some embodiments, a user can select a media device and one or more media items. Subsequently, the selected media device may be pre-populated by saving metadata files, sample media item files, and/or media item files associated with the one or more selected media items on the selected media device." The filing adds "Consumers cannot currently purchase media players, either in a physical store or via the Internet, that already include media items of interest to the user. Instead, a consumer may generally have to obtain media items of interest and then subsequently transfer them to a media device. This process can be time-consuming and inefficient. Accordingly, what is needed are systems and methods for providing media devices that are pre-populated with media items of interest."  

Yet another filing, Patent Application 20090175425 [6], details "systems and methods for enabling users to listen to outgoing voice mail messages... these systems and methods record an audio file corresponding to a voice message being left by a user during an outgoing telephone call to a recipient, link the audio file to contact information associated with the recipient, and provide the user access to the audio file through, for example, playback of the audio included in the file. These systems and methods may be implemented through individual communications devices, such as an iPhone, through a telephone communications provider, or a combination of the same."  

For more on the latest Apple patent filings:
- read this AppleInsider article [7]  [7]

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