Apple wins patent for a display integrating an NFC antenna

Today Apple won a patent that allows the company to integrate NFC antennas into displays. In the last few days, the patent office has awarded Apple 14 new patents but the Near Field Communications NFC subject matter caught our eye. The patent documentation illustrated the technology in an iMac, but the granted patent allows for a greater scope of Apple devices that have screens to make use of this technology. If you have followed Apple for any time you will know that many patents the company is granted disappear and never make it into production product lines. However, we feel we may well see this technology deployed.

The details surrounding the Apple NFC antenna patent

This isn’t a new line of thought for Apple and in fact, they have been filing NFC patents like accountants on crack for the last few years. In April 2010, the company filed an NFC patent that detailed controlling all manner of devices using an NFC-enabled iPhone that could communicate and control everything from a TV, Xbox 360 and the Apple TV remote. In this patent, we see illustrations of embedded NFC tags and antennas in the corner of a TV. The new patent builds upon that first patent by getting specific on the uses of NFC antennas in screens.

We have included the image supplied to the Patent Office below, which clearly highlights how one NFC antenna would connect to multiple transceivers allowing different functions to be performed.

Click to enlarge

Security in mind with Apple’s NFC antenna patent

The iMac to the left is shown to be the main device in Apple’s descriptions that went with its NFC antenna patent. The second device that could be used to interact with the first would likely be an iPhone or an iPod touch, although in the theoretical world of Apple patents, it could be any iOS device. Apple sees the technology being used for security. Imagine a lock screen on your iMac, MacBook Pro or even TV that would require your iOS device to be placed in close proximity to get access. If you get up to take a call and move away from your computer, it would lock itself back up tight gain until you returned with your device. We are guessing there would also be the option to use a good old password in case your iOS devices batteries were dead and that perhaps although you could not gain access to the computer it would still charge your device. But these are concerns for production models and not for broad patents.

Apple also foresees NFC keys being created, which could take the form of a dongle of some type. We are not so sure about that option as NFC for the most part represents convergence, and carrying yet another gadget around seems a little redundant.

This award could give us clues of how else Apple may use its shiny new NFC antenna patent

An NFC antenna in and of itself is nothing new or particularly exciting. What is intriguing though is what else could Apple do with an NFC antenna in a screen. Persistent rumors keep circulating about Apple getting into the TV set market. A TV with a built-in NFC antenna that consumers could grab program details and offers from would be a sufficiently step forward to be in line with Apple’s model of redefining existing industries. With the rumored NFC iPhone 5 just a couple of months away, let’s see if we hear anything about other accompanying products that could have an NFC antenna embedded – if we do, you will remember this Apple patent.