With Google Glass now hitting production, will we see a competitor step up to the plate this year to compete with Google? Will Google have a runaway lead in the coming wearable computer revolution? While I have no idea as to how this will all play out over the course of the year, there's at least a possibility that Microsoft may be closer to delivering one if not two possible Glass related products. Our report shows you how the case for such products is building.
The "Lifecam Director" Trademark
We noted back in a November report that Microsoft was working on a Glass Project for Live Events based on their "Life Streaming" patent filing dating back to Q1 2011. To support that project, we now see that Microsoft's trademark filing for "Lifecam Director" is in the final stages of approval at the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Microsoft's Lifecam Director is likely the software application that will be associated with new Glass related hardware that will incorporate a webcam as noted in their trademark filing. Our report's cover graphic is from Microsoft's Life Streaming patent filing which illustrates a user filming a cityscape with a new life streaming system.
Microsoft's "Lifecam Director" trademark was filed under International Class 009 covering "Computer hardware, namely, computer peripherals and webcams."
Microsoft's patent abstract concerning Life Streaming states the following:
"A system and method for analyzing, summarizing, and transmitting life experiences captured using a life recorder is described. A life recorder is a recording device that continuously captures life experiences, including unanticipated life experiences, in video and/or audio recordings.
In some embodiments, the video and/or audio recordings generated by a life recorder are automatically summarized, indexed, and stored for future use. By indexing and storing life recordings, a life recorder may search for and acquire life recordings generated by itself or another life recorder, thereby allowing life experiences to be shared minutes or even years later. In some embodiments, recordings generated by a life recorder may be analyzed in real-time and automatically pushed to one or more target devices. The ability to automatically and instantaneously push life recordings as live feeds to one or more target devices allows friends and family to experience one's life experience in real-time." So that's Microsoft's project number one.
The "Xbox SmartGlass" Trademark
Perhaps the more interesting trademark discovery with potential is Microsoft's Xbox SmartGlass which surfaced last week as being in the last stages of approval noted as the "Publication & Issue Review Complete" phase.
Microsoft's "Xbox SmartGlass" trademark was filed under International Class 009 covering "software for allowing communication and interaction between phones, mobile devices, televisions, video game consoles, media players, computers, digital media hubs, and audiovisual devices."
Microsoft filed a number of gaming relate patents back in 2012 which pointed to specialty projector eyewear for Xbox. One of their more descriptive patents was covered in our patent report published in March 2012. Other related patents that illustrated Xbox SmartGlass and/or Life Stream-like hardware were presented in our reports published back in June 2012 and January 2013.
Patent applications by themselves, of course, don't necessarily guarantee that an end product from Microsoft will emerge. However, the fact that Microsoft has two related trademarks associated with their patent filings would suggest at the very least that they have one or two Glass related project in the wings. Their engineering and marketing teams are coordinating these developments closely which is a positive sign. The case for two potentially hot Microsoft Glass projects is building.
With the gaming industry's E3 tradeshow coming up in June, I have to wonder if Microsoft will be ready to introduce their Xbox SmartGlass at that time. Admittedly that may be a little too early knowing Microsoft's snail-like market moves, but they sure need something to excite the market with because nothing is going right for them at the moment. Will Microsoft blow us away with Xbox SmartGlass any time soon? Only time will tell.
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The Patent Bolt blog presents a basic summary of new trademark filings with their associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each such trademark is revealed by the U.S. and/or other foreign Patent & Trademark Offices. This category covers a few Industrial Design reports each year while others could be found in our granted patent archives. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any trademark application should be read in its entirety for further details. About Comments: Patent Bolt reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments.
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