Apple Granted a Thorough 'iTime' Smartwatch Patent Describing Many Features

[RaduTyrsina]

Along with a bigger display iPhone, what most of Apple's fans want to see getting launched this fall is the elusive iWatch. We've seen countless rumors and leaks, but this one seems to be the most comprehensive one yet, according to AppleInsider.

Apple has been recently granted a thorough 'iTime' smartwatch patent with in-strap circuitry, arm gesture support and this seems to be one of the clearest proofs that Apple is working on a smartwatch device. The patent filling describes a wrist-worn wearable with augmented strap capabilities, support for arm and wrist gestures, advanced proximity-sensing circuitry and other features.

The invention's main claims, as the title implies, revolve around a wrist-worn device that can connect with other portables like iPhones and iPads, computers, or even the watch's straps, which integrate sensors and other circuitry to augment device performance.

Basically, a majority of the property details what can be considered a "smart wristband" that features a receptacle for a portable media player. What comes later in the patent, however, potentially reveals Apple's smartwatch aspirations.

As noted, much of the invention pertains to a convertible style smartwatch that incorporates a central electronic device removably secured to an advanced strap strap system. The idea harkens back to the days of Apple's sixth-generation iPod nano, which spawned a cottage industry for ad-hoc solutions that turned the media player into a wristwatch-style device. In fact, Apple's patent background alludes to the iPod nano by name.

The patent describes a media player-like device that can be inserted into specially-made straps that integrate various electrical components to augment the device's capabilities. Parts like accelerometers, GPS modules, wireless communication packages and haptic feedback mechanisms could be included in the advanced strap structure.

In the patent, Apple describes a "personal wireless environment" which is basically an electronic wristwatch can interact with nearby devices like an iPhone, laptop or desktop computer. However, Apple's comprehensive "iTime" smartwatch patent was first filed for in 2011, so it could be just an idea that Apple engineers had to give more powers to the iPod Nano.

Soon, summer will end and we'll getting closer to September, when we expect both the bigger iPhone and the iWatch to get released, and that's when we'll know for sure which rumors were true and which were fake.

Source: AppleInsider