Apple Patents Tip Smart Home Remote, 'Silent Disco' Music Party

Apple has secured and applied for a number of patents over the years, some of which cover existing technology and others that touch on far-fetched future devices or features. But Cupertino's not done yet; the company this week added two more patent applications to the mix.

Published today by the U.S. Patent and Technology Office (USPTO), each patent calls for a new approach to common entertainment issues.

The first, titled "Systems and methods for saving and restoring scenes in a multimedia system," was filed five years ago by the same developer who built the first iTunes Remote iOS app, according to AppleInsider.

Cupertino describes a sort of iPhone-based "smart home" controller that would connect multiple IT components and smart home devices, like lights and fireplaces, via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Calling the settings "scenes," the patent suggests that the mobile app would allow users to save "scenes" — a TV mode, speaker calibration, or "horror movie night" favorite — for quick access later.

But this is more than another universal remote, Apple argues, explaining that while conventional controls can save and restore pre-defined scenes, like "watch TV" or "play game," the user still has to manually set up and specify the settings for each component.

Apple's patent, however, defines a system that receives information from separate components about volume settings or current playback speed. In turn, the mobile device becomes a handy controller for the user, who can select their own saved scenes or create new ones.

The smart system can even provide recommendations based on usage patterns, like time of day and frequency of access. For example, if you turn on the TV on Monday evening, the device could suggest another episode of Under the Dome if you've been watching the past few weeks.

For those who would rather get out of the house, Cupertino also snagged the rights to the "Coordinated group musical experience" patent (pictured), which tells the tale of a "silent disco"-like dance party.

"Similar to the silent disco, the concept of mobile clubbing involves flash mob gatherings of people (sometimes in the hundreds) at public spaces at least portions of which are temporarily converted to clubbing areas in which people dance while listening to their personal music using MP3 players," the application said.

The spontaneous activity allows each listener to tap into his or her own music library, based on similar characteristics like tempo, so everyone in the group is jamming along to the same beat, but not necessarily the same songs.

There is, of course, no guarantee that either concept will make it past the drawing board. But keep an eye out for the "silent disco" option in future iOS incarnations.