Apple patents, trademarks

Apple has filed a new patent detailing a means of easily modifying desktop backgrounds as well as several patents related to podcasts and the company's popular iPod player. Apple's background patent, titled 'Manipulating Desktop Backgrounds,' describes a graphical user interface to help users change and transform a desktop pattern. Users can select a desktop image and immediately crop, rotate, or perform numerous other modifications directly in the background selection area.

Accompanying the background selection patent are several maintenance patents that include a Method and system for controlling video selection and playback in a portable media player, Podcast organization and usage at a computing device, Browsing and searching of podcasts, and Management of podcasts.

Apple has also officially filed for the MULTISAN trademark alongside its own Apple logo, the company's recent name change from Apple Computer to simply Apple, and other well-known names and symbols.

by MacNN Staff