Several Apple patents have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. Following is a summary of each.

Patent number 7877707 involves detecting and interpreting real-world and security gestures on touch and hover sensitive devices. "Real-world" gestures such as hand or finger movements/orientations that are generally recognized to mean certain things (e.g., an "OK" hand signal generally indicates an affirmative response) can be interpreted by a touch or hover sensitive device to more efficiently and accurately effect intended operations. These gestures can include, but are not limited to, "OK gestures," "grasp everything gestures," "stamp of approval gestures," "circle select gestures," "X to delete gestures," "knock to inquire gestures," "hitchhiker directional gestures," and "shape gestures." In addition, gestures can be used to provide identification and allow or deny access to applications, files, and the like. The inventors are Wayne Carl Westerman and Myra Mary Haggerty.

Patent number RE42064 is for a force feedback computer input and output device with coordinated haptic elements. A set of haptic elements (haptels) are arranged in a grid. Each haptel is a haptic feedback device with linear motion and a touchable surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion. In a preferred embodiment, each haptel has a position sensor which measures the vertical position of the surface within its range of travel, a linear actuator which provides a controllable vertical bi-directional feedback force, and a touch location sensor on the touchable surface. Daniel E. Fish is the inventor.

Patent number 7877532 involves communication between an accessory and a media player with multiple lingos and lingo version information. Per the patent, An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo. The inventors are Emily Clark Schubert, Wang Chun Leung, Gregory T. Lydon, Scott Krueger, Paul Philip Holden, John Archibald, Lawrence G. Bolton, Donald J. Novotney, John B. Filson and David Tupman.

Patent number 7877631 is for the detection of system battery errors. In an example embodiment, a method is provided to identify an error associated with a system battery. This system battery is operably associated with a computing device and is used to power the computing device. A parameter of the system battery is tested and an error associated with the system battery may be detected. In an example, the error may be detected before the operating system is loaded onto the computing device. In another example, the error may be detected when the computing device is waking from a reduced power mode. Darren Westman is the inventor.

Patent number 7877738 involves speculative compliation. The invention is a method and apparatus for use in developing a program. More particularly, a method and apparatus for compiling a source code program during editing of the same is disclosed, where editing can be initial entry or modification subsequent to initial entry.

Apple has also been granted a design patent (D631468) for a docking station.

-- Dennis Sellers
dsellers@applecentral.com