C3 Patent and Intellectual Property Law

May012009 | Steve O'Donnell

Apple seeking to patent volume controls for browser windows

A recent publication from the patent office gives some insight into what might be coming in Safari and again demonstrates Apple's aggressive patenting scheme.

In November 2007, Apple filed a patent application entitled Web Browser Audio Controls. That application claims priority to a provisional application filed the month before. The application is still pending, but it was published 18 months after filing as required by the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-113; Manual of Patent Examination Procedure § 1120). Since the patent is still pending, we can't be sure that it will issue in the form that we can see now, or really, if it will issue a tall. That question isn't so important for the purposes of this post. Rather, I want to point out again how savvy Apple is about protecting their intellectual properties.

As I mentioned earlier, the definition of patentable invention encompasses more than what most people realize. In the case of Apple's browser volume control publication 20090106657, Apple is seeking a patent covering volume controls embedded in individual browser windows and volume preferences for individual sites. The underlying idea is to be able to set volume for each window and to save preferences.  For example, you could set your browser so that new sites opened at a very low volume, but your favorite streaming audio site could always open at a high volume.  Also, interestingly, the volume controls aren't necessarily wedded to Safari so the eventual implementation might be something like a multi-browser plug-in or part of the OS.

Of note, again, is that there is no code in the patent application. Actually making and using the subject matter is left to a programmer.

It is a good idea. I wish I had thought of it.  If you had this idea, would you have realized what you have, that it could be patented and possibly turned into a revenue stream?  What have you thought of but disregarded because you weren't sure how to build a prototype?  Don't let that stand in your way.