Apple Patents: Apple Granted Collaboration System Patent

Apple Patents: It is no surprise that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) continues to apply for patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. With each new application, it seems as if the company is approved for another.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is actually the smart money’s second favorite publicly traded company but hedge funds have started dumping Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in favor of a surprising financial stock (see which stock hedge funds are buying like crazy).

Most recently, the Cupertino-based company was granted a patent entitled “Collaboration System.” If you want to read about the patent in its entirety, you can do so by visiting the official page here.

At this point, you may be wondering what type of “collaboration system” the company has patented. For a better understanding, read over the abstract:

“A collaboration system provides enhanced user interface to enable users to interact with electronic devices. In one embodiment, users can add content to a digital system by using a pen that streams coordinates so that input to the digital system may be based on conventional pen and paper handwriting. In another embodiment, a pie-based menu system is used for input to large display area digital devices in which an occluded portion of the pie-based menu system is not used for direct input by the user. The selection of which areas of the pie-based menu system should be omitted from use is adaptive and responsive to whether the user is left-handed or right-handed, and the wrist angle defined by the user’s posture. In still another embodiment, an ergonomic open-shaped pie menu system is provided to facilitate selection of options on a digital surface.”

In other words, more than one user will be able to collaborate on a project with the help of a large surface and digital pens.

Here is an example, from the official patent, on how the technology could potentially work:

“FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which an electronic pen is used to enable users to interact with other users in a collaborative manner. Specifically, as shown in Fig. a person using an electronic pen 50 is remotely located from other participants and, hence, cannot directly interact with those participants. According to an embodiment of the invention, the electronic pen 50 can enable the user to interact with the other participants 52 in a collaboration center 55 over a network 54.”

Whether or not this technology is ever used by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is yet to be seen. After all, the company holds patents for all types of technology, some of which is implemented and some of which sits dormant.

How do you feel about this latest patent awarded to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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