Apple applies for comprehensive control patent of iPhone in-vehicle facilities

August 2nd news: A document published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday revealed that Apple has applied for a patent to control car interior facilities using a mobile phone.

This patent application introduced that users can store configuration profiles for car seats, steering wheels, and rearview mirrors on Apple devices, recording positional information of these in-car facilities. The system can also customize air conditioning settings when the user enters the vehicle.

This system can also be used in homes, adjusting lights, TVs, or other devices to appropriate settings as the user walks through the door.

Currently, high-end cars already offer profiles that can automatically adjust seat height and backrest incline angles according to different drivers, along with in-car entertainment and information systems. However, Apple is preparing to enter this market with its "iOS in the Car" feature, which will be integrated into iOS 7.

The system described in the patent does not just provide an automatic communication process from "device to car," but also has a "roaming" characteristic. A user's iPhone can record suitable settings and apply them to any manufacturer’s car, adjusting preferences based on the model. This would be very useful for travelers and car-sharing users.

Apple's invention will heavily rely on cooperation with third-party manufacturers; only with a large-scale industrial chain environment will such a system become perfected. However, the benefits to users are enormous.

Apple initially applied for this "ambient auto-settings patent" in 2012, with inventor listed as Thomas Ethan Lowry.

Whether it's cars or living rooms, the concepts proposed by Apple in these two markets are functions that have already appeared on the market, but they bundle them together in one way. This approach is more natural and can attract more users. This strategy is present in almost every successful product Apple has released in the past, making it a very clever move.