Some items which are listed on the patent, as expected, which are slated to recieve Siri technology are iPod, iPad, iMac, MacBook but also an Apple TV and Camera. Interesting!! It sounds like the manufacturer is going to bring Siri into every part of our entertainment lives. Imagine a television (iVision) that even renders the remote a dinosaur. I like it!

From the same vein, I can see a camera that requires no user, and by that I mean, it can take your picture while you direct it from various vantage points without physically having a hold of it. This could have great private and professional utility. We’ll see.

If your wondering what kind of information a patent provides, I have included this (below) input/output diagram from Patently Apple. It definitely doesn’t tell the average consumer very much. I’ll follow up on this story when I can make more sense of the diagram….maybe.

Bloomberg reports today that Apple has filed yet another lawsuit in Germany, this time seeking to ban sales of multiple Samsung devices. The design suit, which focuses on Samsung smartphones such as Galaxy S Plus and the S II, alleges that the models violate Apple’s design rights. As if the fun should stop there – and why should it – Apple filed a separate lawsuit against five Samsung tablets. The Bloomberg report continues:

Last month, the Dusseldorf court said it is unlikely to grant an injunction against the Galaxy 10.1N and an appeals court also voiced doubts about the reach of Apple’s European Union design right that won the company the injunction against the Galaxy 10.1. The new suits aren’t filed under emergency proceedings and allow Apple a new procedure against both models.

The end of last year was witness to an international back-and-forth court room dispute between Samsung and Apple that played out in courts in the United States, Germany and Australia. No word yet on where they plan to take their Patent Lawsuit World Tour next.

To be fair, though, not all of this design war is futile act of hair-splitting. At the beginning of this year, you may recall the debut of the Samsung Ace, which was a might familiar looking if you’re an Apple fanboy.

Google is being sued by a company called BuySafe, which basically claims Google is ripping off its business, hurting its ability to compete, violating its patent, and is giving special treatment to certain brands in search ranking.

In the complaint (via Robin Wauters), BuySafe claims to be the “first company to address the concerns of online shoppers by providing third-party certification and transactional guarantees for Internet retailers.”

“Because there is significant consumer demand for such certification and guarantees, numerous Internet retailers have purchased BuySafe’s services and offer BuySafe’s transactional guarantees without cost to the consumers who make purchases on their websites,” the complaint goes on to say. “It is well-known within the Internet retailer community that BuySafe’s transaction guarantee services are patented.”

In October, Google launched a pilot program for Google Trusted Stores, providing a similar service.

“The Google Trusted Store badge is awarded to e-commerce sites that demonstrate a track record of on-time shipping and excellent customer service,” said Tom Fallows, a Group Product Manager on Google’s Commerce team. “When visiting a qualifying store, shoppers can hover over the Google Trusted Store badge and see metrics on the store’s shipping and customer service performance.”

Fallows happens to be a former executive for a BuySafe customer, which BuySafe alleges had “extensive discussions” with a few of BuySafe’s execs and learned “a great deal” about BuySafe’s business. Not only did Google recruit Fallows in 2010, but according to the complaint, Google has sought a joint venture or partnership with BuySafe as far back as 2006. The complaint alleges that “google exploited those discussions to learn about BuySafe’s business.”

On top of all of that, the complaint says, Google had employees visit BuySafe.com on numerous occasions to investigate its business, methods and systems, claiming to have discovered a “tremdenous amount of visits to buysafe.com from Google IP addresses since at least 2009.

BuySafe says the launch of Google’s Trusted Stores has already “drastically” slowed its annual growth rate. It also says:

In or around October 2011, Google told at least two customers of BuySafe that participants in Google’s Trusted Stores program will have an advantage with respect to the order in which Google’s search results are displayed and promoted within Google search results. Indeed, that advantage is so significant that few, if any, online merchants will have any choice but to use Google’s Trusted Stores program. Upon information and belief, Google has made the same representations to other BuySafe customers and potential customers.

BuySafe also says Google timed the launch of the Trusted Stores Pilot to “impede BuySafe’s effort to raise additional capital,” which it needs to expand its business.

This, of course, comes at a time when Google is drawing the watchful government eye with regards to its competitive practices.

We’ve reached out to Google for comment, and will update accordingly.

Now, the company has actually got the patent on the technology. Specifically, the patent granted to Google this week (hat tip to Tech Radar) is: Transitioning a mixed-mode vehicle to autonomous mode.

Here’s what the abstract for the patent says:

Disclosed are methods and devices for transitioning a mixed-mode autonomous vehicle from a human driven mode to an autonomously driven mode. Transitioning may include stopping a vehicle on a predefined landing strip and detecting a reference indicator. Based on the reference indicator, the vehicle may be able to know its exact position. Additionally, the vehicle may use the reference indictor to obtain an autonomous vehicle instruction via a URL. After the vehicle knows its precise location and has an autonomous vehicle instruction, it can operate in autonomous mode.

So essentially, Google has the patent on vehicles that can switch from human driven to robot driven, if I’m understanding it correctly.

Here are a few videos of Google’s cars in action:

Google has downplayed how much of its resources it is actually putting into things like driverless cars. On an earnings call in July, CEO Larry Page said, “Overall we’re focused on long-term, absolute profit and growth.,” reiterating a point he had made that “speculative” projects like driverless cars are not something the company is “betting the farm on”.

It would be interesting to know if having the patent changes just how much they are betting on the technology.

Earlier this year, a law was passed in Nevada, making the cars legal. One was actually involved in a car accident at one point, though it was reportedly determined that there was actually a human driving it when that happened.

Today, Apple owns that mechanism, as they were just granted a patent by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. The patent, number 8,046,721, was filed back in December of 2005. Here’s how it is described:

A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.

Sounds a lot like how many smartphones operate these days, doesn’t it?

I guess we can add this to the growing list of slightly absurd entries into the patent system. Although most would agree that patenting a motion on a touch screen is a little silly, it doesn’t change the fact that that’s how the patent system currently works. Don’t hate the player, hate the game I guess.

And it’s kind of funny, but all of those Android devices that users “slide to unlock” are now infringing on patents.

[Hat tip to 9to5Mac]

“Florian Mueller, the patent analyst (he’s not a lawyer) who often takes anti-Google stances, just revealed that Microsoft is funding Mueller to create a new study about patents,” Cutts said in a Google+ update.

Google’s Tim Bray added on Twitter:

FRAND stands for “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory. “The purpose of FRAND licensing commitments is to ensure access to intellectual property,” explains Mueller in the post in question. “It also protects third parties against overcharging and other abusive behavior.” Here is the passage in which he talks about Microsoft:

Microsoft has commissioned this study. I will present my findings next year in a published report.

Microsoft and I agree on some issues and disagree on others. We were on opposing sides of the debate over a European patent bill years ago. We still have different positions on patent-eligible subject matter. But we do see eye to eye on the post-grant use of patents, i.e., how patents are and should be used after they have been issued, and on some related matters. I like the fact that Microsoft appreciates and respects a diversity of opinions, a fact that has enabled us to work together not only on this FRAND research project but also on a couple of other recent issues facing the industry.

If you recall the public war of words between Google and Microsoft, it makes sense that Google would raise a flag over a Microsoft-sponsored study regarding patents, and I’m sure they will do so again once the study actually comes out. It will be interesting to see what it actually says.

The source said that Samsung is ramping up production of quad-core A6 processors, the Apple-designed chip, at their manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.

This is interesting, in large part, due to the ongoing legal battle between the two companies regarding so-called patent infringements.

Here’s what the source had to say about the A6 processors, as quoted in the Korea Times:

Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor (AP) chips to be used in the next iPhone. It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner.

Samsung Electronics will apply its advanced 28-nanometer processing technology to produce qualified A6 mobile APs. TSMC will provide customized chips with designs from Apple, however, the volume will be very small.

This rumor comes on the heels of news regarding the Samsung/Apple patent wars. According to the WSJ, Samsung is trying to stop the sale of Apple’s new iPhone 4S in Japan and Australia. They are asking that the sale of the iPad 2 be halted as well.

Japan and Australia join a list populated by 10 countries that Samsung has petitioned to ban the sale of Apple devices. They have already made filings in France and Italy to stop the sale of the iPhone 4S.

Apple also claims that Samsung has copied their designs and infringed upon their patents and intellectual property rights. Last week, Apple requested a temporary injunction in Australia to stop the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy tablet – a request that was granted.

Apple and Samsung have a tenuous partnership, and these legal battles only strain it further. Some analysts think that the patent wars will irreparably damage the relationship – but according to this rumor, Samsung will provide a key part to at least one more Apple product.

So, basically they’ve patented an SEO strategy. Strange, but interesting. Will this lead to other SEO strategies being patented?

Business Wire says its strategy is the result of “years of research and development and considerable investment.”

I wonder how many SEO firms would make similar claims.

“Our new SEO patent provides complimentary enhancements to Business Wire’s already powerful press release distribution and measurement services,” said Laura Sturaitis, Executive Vice President of Media Services and Product Strategy.

“Through Business Wire, customers have the power to effectively analyze and optimize their press release content for search, then simultaneously deliver their news to media and market participants via our patented NX delivery network, then measure audience engagement via our NewsTrak reports,” she added.

“With the awarding of this patent, in addition to Business Wire’s NX distribution technology patents, our company continues to develop unique, proprietary and more effective communications innovations that have been a hallmark at Business Wire for 50 years,” said Cathy Baron-Tamraz, Business Wire CEO.

It’s going to be interesting to see if this patent leads to any legal battles in the SEO world.

Business Wire is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

According to The Korea Times, Samsung plans to file suits to block the sales of the iPhone 5 shortly after it launches in the country. They quote a “senior executive from Samsung Electronics” who says –

Just after the arrival of the iPhone 5 here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court here for its violation of Samsung’s wireless technology related patents,’’ said a senior executive from Samsung Electronics, asking not to be identified.

For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents. We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights.

All over the world there are pending patent infringement lawsuits between Apple and Samsung. Back in April, Apple launched an attack against Samsung, saying that their products too closely resemble Apple’s products likes the iPhone and iPad. They accused them of “slavishly copying Apple’s innovative technology” instead of “pursuing independent product development.”

Samsung hit back at Apple, filing suits related to cellphone transmission technologies. As part of that suit, they petitioned to force Apple to turn over their next gen devices back in May, but a U.S. judge denied that request.

It appears that the reported future patent disputes in Korea involve this same concept, “wireless technology related patents.”

On more little nugget from this report? The Samsung sources hinted that the iPhone 5 will, in fact, sport wireless payment functionality, or the so-called NFC technology. Early rumors said that the new phone would come equipped with NFC capabilities, but later reports have quashed that speculation, saying that NFC probably won’t arrive until the generation after the iPhone 5.

How do you see this deal impacting both handset makers and consumers? Share your thoughts.

For instance, the deal would definitely change the mobile landscape. Google, which of course has its Android platform, would also become a mobile handset maker, if the merger goes through. With this in mind, one cannot help but speculate that Google could use Motorola to build all its flagship phones. Although Google makes it clear that it would run Motorola separately from Android, the speculation is still present.

“The truth of the matter is, when you have yourself a hardware company, and an amazing one at that, it’s going to be hard not to want to encourage them to create the best product out there,” said Bryan Gonzalez, the Director of Social and Digital Media Technology Labs at the Entertainment Technology Center at the University of Southern California.

What’s interesting is that other mobile manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and LG, have actually spoken out with praise for the acquisition. Gonzalez told us that these companies are committed to Android and want it to succeed, even at the expense of a competitor being bought by the platform creator.

He went on to say that the companies are hoping the acquisition will help Google make Android better, so that they, in turn, can become more effective when competing with Apple.

“By Google getting close with a hardware company, maybe Google will learn to appreciate the hardware side of it much more, and even be able to leverage better functionality in the future,” he added.

There have also been some questions raised in regards to the openness of the Android platform. Google has also said that it will keep it open, and while Gonzalez believes that it will for a while, he doesn’t know if it will be able to keep it open for the long term, especially with all malware issues that the Android app store has experienced over past few months.

With this acquisition, Google is also hoping to solve some of its patent woes. Through the deal, it would have access to Motorola’s existent and pending patents, which would help it avoid legal trouble from Apple and Microsoft.

“They’re really just trying to protect themselves from future litigation,” said Gonzalez.

The other part of this deal that has not been covered as extensively as the mobile side is the home devices and video solutions side of Motorola Mobility. Through this division of the business, Motorola makes set-top boxes for cable companies. For Google, this means that it could incorporate Google TV into these set-top boxes and potentially create a Netflix competitor.

The problem with this is that Google doesn’t have the same relationship with content creators that Netflix has. Gonzalez believes that the reason for this is, in part, because Google needs to find a business model.

“Up to this point, I think Google has been so focused on the technology that they really missed the business aspect of it,” he said.

In regards to how the acquisition would impact consumers, Gonzalez told us that the deal could be beneficial since it would likely encourage all the handset makers to produce better phones. He also believes it will pass regulatory approval because the mobile market would still be large and therefore, prices would still be low.

Do you think the acquisition should go through?