Post #25: Ability to Locate and Interact with Vehicles via Smartphone Introduced by Apple

On April 25th, AppleInsider posted "Apple wants to use iPhone Bluetooth to locate, interact with cars". The U.S. Patent and Trademark office published two Apple's patents for inventing the ability to use an iOS device to track the user's car in a parking structure, to collect information on parking fee, and to activate the vehicle functions, such as starting the engine, unlocking doors, etc.

One patent titled: Method for Locating a Vehicle, which describes a method that the user is able to track his/her vehicle via Bluetooth with his/her mobile device to determine whether it is in a parked state for the handset to remember the parking location. When the user return to the parking structure, he or her can use the mobile device to determine a route back to the car. Basically the vehicle "communicates with the parking structure's location system, which logs the car's position and stores the data for later access by a mobile device."

The other patent, titled "'Accessing a vehicle using portable devices', a mobile handset pairs securely with a car over Bluetooth or other suitable method to control various on-board functions." Instead of using the key fobs that interact with the car via NFC or radio to control the car's function, Apple proposes a mobile device replacement to control the car through wireless protocols like Bluetooth. 

I think it is good that besides describing the variety of functions available for operation, the majority of the patent application focuses on authentication techniques and device-to-car security. As I was reading the post from AppleInsider, at first I was thinking that it would be very convenient to have an application like this on smartphone these days, but then as I scrolling down the article, I became more worried about the security issue for this application. It would allow theft to be much easier, since nowadays, the companies are trying to improve the smartphone devices by giving the device more control for the user's personal needs and wants. Especially the user is becoming more dependable on these mobile devices that it threatens me the idea of losing the device would lead to a devastated user. People can already pay with their smartphones, soon that people can locate and interact with their cars, and probably even their own home soon. I feel like the more control we give to these handset devices, the less control we have. I fear that the improvement of technology will lead to more crimes if no security system is developed simultaneously. The day where it will be easy to hack someone's personal information and even access their personal belongings, household, vehicles just by taking one's phone is coming sooner than we think. 

Post #24: Samsung's Brain-Computer Interface Patent

On April 19th, Patently Apple posted "Is Samsung's Brainwave Tablet Realist or just a PR Ruse?" In November, 2012, Samsung had filed a patent about brain-computer interface. The patent described how the users can command the future tablets to "open file", "close file", "copy file", "clicking", "paste", "delete", "space" or "inputting characteristics". Samsung is currently conducting a early-stage research with Roozbeh Jafari, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas, Dallas "testing how people can use their thoughts to launch an application, select a contact, select a song from a playlist, or power up or down." Samsung shows "how a brain-computer interface could help people with mobility issues complete tasks that would otherwise be impossible."

Jack Purcher argues in his post that Samsung's project that is designed to assist those with mobility issues is just another PR ruse. He stated that Samsung's research on brain-computer interface technology is nothing innovative as others have already proceeded with similar research. For example, Sony filed a patent in October 2012 on the very same idea for a gaming system.

   "Samsung is trying to "sound innovative" in the mobile space to help counter Apple's real innovations that kick start the true smartphone revolution in 2007. Samsung's marketing team is trying to get the public to at least perceive Samsung as being innovative so that they could build a new mystique around their brand. Yet until Samsung actually delivers such a product, a tablet controlled by your brain, it's just a PR ruse and typical Samsung poppycock." -Jack Purcher

I can understand Purcher's point of view towards Samsung's new patent application being a PR ruse. However, I do also think it is very ironically that how Apple is trying to call Samsung's newly filed patent on brain-computer interface technology to be a PR ruse when Apple filed the patent on iTunes U, which I talked about in my previous post. I understand that iTunes U can be implemented much sooner than Samsung's brain-computer interface. However, I do not see iTunes U, or Apple's tablet-computer hybrid to be innovative.

Most of the time, companies file patents on ideas that have not implemented into their actual manufacturing. At least, I am glad to see how Samsung is actually conducting research with the scientists to try to develop the brain-computer interface technology. Even though right now the media spotlight is on Samsung vs. Apple to fight to be on the innovative leader in the smartphone industry, we never know when another company beats both of them in the future.

For more information, visit: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/04/is-samsungs-brainwave-tablet-realistic-or-just-a-pr-ruse.html