Could your iPhone be smarter than you in the future? A patent application published by the USPTO today indicates that a phone or other device empowered with "situational awareness" is a new possibility. The filing describes various ways that this device would be able to adjust its own volume, switch to vibrate mode, and make other adjustments without even a tap of your finger. Imagine your phone being "polite enough" to lower its ringtone before you go to bed or to utilize other sensory technology. But wait...don't get too excited just yet...
As you know, even if this invention does receive a patent, it may never find its way onto store shelves. Apple may have no intention of selling this device. Moreover, as the entire smart phone market has rapidly become more advanced, some engineers have already developed similar types of capabilities, making the determination of what is "new" not all that easy. As such, this particular patent could be difficult to defend in court, and this application highlights how the explosive growth of technology can present challenges to our patent system. It also begs the question: Should applications for advanced technology that are vague be acceptable (and what is considered too vague)? Check out the Apple Application.
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