Apple's iPod Photo Display

Last June I presented two separate patent reports pertaining to Apple's Patent application 20040224638 that covered a [url=http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/patent_peek_apple_notebook_with_integrated_ipod_mini/]notebook/iPod[/url] combination and various [url=http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/patent_peek_apples_personal_mobile_radio_tv_telephony/]radio centric[/url] iPods. However, I had left one aspect of that patent out which covered an iPod Photo Display docking station. Now would be a good time to bring this to light.

The aspect of the patent pertaining to a photo display begins with Patent Figure 13 that states the following:

The photo display 380 is configured to showcase one or more images. For example, the photo display may be set on a desk or placed on a wall to display one or more family photos in a controlled manner.

The photo display 380 generally includes a base 384 and a display 386 that is disposed in the base 384. The docking station 382 is integrated within the base 384. The docking station 382 includes a media bay 388 that may be placed anywhere on the base 384, as for example, the sides, top, front, back or bottom surfaces. The media bay 388 may be configured to receive any surface of a media player 389 so long as a connection is made between the media player 389 and the docking station 382. For example, it may be configured to receive the back of the media player as shown in FIG. 3 or it may be configured to receive the bottom of the media player as shown in FIG. 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the media bay 388 is configured to receive the back side of the media player 389.

Context

Just in case you were asking yourself where the patent mentions Bluetooth, you have to keep in mind that the entirety of Apple's patent [url=http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040224638%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040224638&RS=DN/20040224638]20040224638[/url] is wireless-centric. Yet for the record, further into the patent, patent point 95 does cover a range of wireless technologies that Apple may chose to implement as follows: The radio broadcasting components may be widely varied. For example, they may be associated with technologies including FM, RF, Bluetooth, 802.11 UWB (ultra wide band), IR, magnetic link (induction) and/or the like.

Apple also provided their usual patent verbiage that states that "While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention." So while Apple provided the public with the basics of one embodiment of an iPod photo display, you could be assured that not all embodiments will require a docking station.

The Bottom Line
As trivial as an iPod photo display may sound today, I think there'd be a decent market for that at Christmas time. I know that I'd like the option of quickly changing my photos that sit on my fireplace mantel or wall unit. For those of you who prize family photos, I think you'd agree. And being that this concept is iPod related, you could be sure that a poster size unit could be in the works to display Album art and so forth. Think of a shuffle based photo display/poster that automatically changes the album art on your poster as each song begins. Yes, I'm sure that Apple will tie this into iTunes in one way or another.

So the bottom line is that while this may look like a yawner today, I think this product could have a bigger market impact than you think.

If you have an opinion on this report, I welcome you to email at neo@macsimumnews.com