Wednesday, October 9, 2024
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Apple files patent for vehicle video system for an Apple Car

Shown is an illustration of a system for sharing video of a path traversed by a vehicle.

Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 11,297,371) for a “vehicle video system.” It involves a method for obtaining a video based on images detected with cameras mounted on a vehicle and displaying a portion of the video corresponding to a time offset and a viewing angle.

About the patent

In the patent filing, Apple notes that some folks have difficulty seeing out of a vehicle, because their view is obstructed by their spot within the vehicle or because of vision. 

What’s more, some people wish to update friends or loved ones about their progress on a trip such as, for instance, when they’re traveling to meet someone. 

Conventional facilities for sharing current location include providing coordinates on a map. However, Apple says that map data may not tell the whole story. 

Apple’s plan is for exterior cameras mounted on an Apple Car that records video. The video and frames of it can not only be viewed by folks inside the car, but can be shared with others. It can also be transferred from one Apple Car to another.

The vehicle video is stored in a video buffer and frames of the vehicle video are associated with a time and with a location at which those frames where obtained. Vehicle video in the buffer is searched and identified using time and/or geolocation parameter to find relevant frames. 

When might we see an Apple Car?

On. Nov. 18, Bloomberg reported that Apple is accelerating development on its “Apple Car.” The article says the electric vehicle will be self-driving and could roll out in 2025. 

What’s more, in a note to clients — as noted by AppleInsider — investment bank Wedbush says Apple is likely to announce a strategic electric vehicle partnership in 2022 to lay the groundwork for an “Apple Car” release in 2025.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.