[PhysOrg]

Apple made patent news this week in two directions, toward a Kinect like system and toward a quest for excellence in sound quality on phones. It’s been reported that Apple has filed patent applications for a 3-D image and display system, and for technology techniques that can deliver significant improvements in the audio quality of portable devices, especially in noise cancellation.

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According to Apple Insider, Apple wants to explore an “entirely new way” for users to work on their Mac, with a new system allowing users to perform gestures with their hands in a three-dimensional space.

The patent notes the need for “uncomplicated, economical, yet highly effective 3D input devices for computers.”

These devices need to be able to optically sense object or human positions, orientations, and/or motions, according to the patent application. In consideration of costs and convenience, it said, the devices need to be compact and able to fit into a small unit. They also need to be versatile, enough to work with a range of conventional consumer appliances.

The Apple patent application is a further sign, say observers, that computer users are being guided toward a future dominated by natural user interfaces. Futurists are certain that gestures and speech will surpass keyboard and mouse as ways to control computing devices.

The other patent filings are drawing special attention in light of the ubiquity of iPhones. The filings indicate that Apple is taking sound quality in phone calls to the next level, with technology that links noise cancellation with voice recognition.  …

See the full story here: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-apple-patents-noise-out.html