14 DAY TRIAL // A new patent filed by Apple Inc. reveals the company’s plans to equip future iDevices with 3D cameras that use a variety of light-centric technologies to achieve the desired effect. The technology could make its way into the next Apple iPhone, if Apple has all the hardware components ready.
Unearthed by a publication dealing exclusively with Apple patents, the invention is described as “a killer 3D imaging camera” that will make waves in both still photography and video.
The cameras are “in development,” according to the report covering the filing. If implemented, the solution would use new depth-detection sensors, including LIDAR, RADAR and Laser.
The flurry of technologies stems from the necessity to create stereo disparity maps - a requirement in creating 3D imagery today.
The cameras will reportedly use advanced chrominance and luminance sensors for superior color accuracy. The invention relates to “systems, apparatuses and methods for capturing a three-dimensional image using one or more dedicated cameras.”
These cameras would include facial gesturing recognition, in addition to facial recognition. In some embodiments, the patent filing describes an image-sensing device configured “to convert or facilitate converting the captured image into digital image data.”
The image-sensing device is primarily aimed at portables. For the sake of the argument, Apple offers examples such as “digital cameras, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, a standalone camera, or any other devices that can be configured to process image data.”
iPhones and iPads are not expressly mentioned, nor should they be. Apple typically covers a wide scope of possibilities with each new invention, hence the iPhone and iPad become deductible.
In patent FIG. 1 (pictured above) Apple shows certain components of one embodiment of the invention.
Originally filed in the third quarter of 2011, Apple's patent application is credited to several inventors, of which the following names are given: Brett Bilbrey, Michael Culbert, David Simon, Rich DeVaul, Mushtag Sarwar and David Gere. The filing was published March 29, by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
To be noted that such patents are unveiled on a daily basis without any guarantee that said embodiments will materialize.