Wednesday, December 28th 2011

Apple Seeks Patent for Fuel-Cell Powered Notebooks

Apple reportedly started ground-work on developing a design with which future Macbooks can be powered by fuel-cells, pushing the battery life envelope further up. Apple has applied for two key patents with USPTO, titled "Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device", and "Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device."

The filing states "Our country's continuing reliance on fossil fuels has forced our government to maintain complicated political and military relationships with unstable governments in the Middle East, and has also exposed our coastlines and our citizens to the associated hazards of offshore drilling." It continues "These problems have led to an increasing awareness and desire on the part of consumers to promote and use renewable energy sources."
Apple's proposed technology delivers clean energy from fuel-cells to rechargeable batteries of Macbooks, so they could go on without needing a charge from the power outlet for days, weeks even. "This eliminates the need for a bulky and heavy battery within the fuel cell system, which can significantly reduce the size, weight and cost of the fuel cell system," one filing reads. "This fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack which converts fuel into electrical power. It also includes a controller which controls operation of the fuel cell system."
Source: Apple Insider
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30 Comments on Apple Seeks Patent for Fuel-Cell Powered Notebooks

#1
v12dock
Block Caption of Rainey Street
Apple seeks patent for patents
Posted on Reply
#2
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
apple shouldn't even be allowed to have patents, or atleast the patent office needs to be mroe structured when giving patents. they gave apple a patent that is "A rectangular hand held device with a Screen on it."
Posted on Reply
#4
entropy13
Once again, this shows how Apple Inc. consistently and graciously blesses the human race with such groundbreaking endeavors. Recognizing the need for true progress, the Blessed Company based in Cupertino has assumed the mantle as the undying beacon of technological breakthroughs. It is done with a very heavy heart however because the actions of the Holy Apple are continuously undermined by the ignorant infidels, the heretics, the non-believers.

In the name of the Almighty Steve Jobs, may they (like those that have posted before me) be able to open their eyes to the light wielded by the Holy Apple.
Posted on Reply
#5
(FIH) The Don
entropy13Once again, this shows how Apple Inc. consistently and graciously blesses the human race with such groundbreaking endeavors. Recognizing the need for true progress, the Blessed Company based in Cupertino has assumed the mantle as the undying beacon of technological breakthroughs. It is done with a very heavy heart however because the actions of the Holy Apple are continuously undermined by the ignorant infidels, the heretics, the non-believers.

In the name of the Almighty Steve Jobs, may they be able to open their eyes to the light wielded by the Holy Apple.
:twitch:
Posted on Reply
#6
DannibusX
Hippy message contained in a patent application. Apple activates activism through the USPTO.
Posted on Reply
#8
(FIH) The Don
tiggerToshiba beat apple to it.
wont matter if they didnt seek for patent back then

so if apple gets the patent, and toshiba has wasted 4+ yrs to research it
Posted on Reply
#9
entropy13
(FIH) The Don:twitch:
May the Holy Apple bless you and bathe you in its purifying light.
DannibusXHippy message contained in a patent application. Apple activates activism through the USPTO.
Do not deny the light offered by the Holy Apple, and you will be rewarded. Embrace the teachings of the Blessed Company.
tiggerToshiba beat apple to it.
Indeed, Toshiba "beat" Apple if the contest was making inferior, cheap, ugly, almost useless products made by ignorant non-believers, unenlightened infidels.
Posted on Reply
#10
Unregistered
entropy13May the Holy Apple bless you and bathe you in its purifying light.



Do not deny the light offered by the Holy Apple, and you will be rewarded. Embrace the teachings of the Blessed Company.



Indeed, Toshiba "beat" Apple if the contest was making inferior, cheap, ugly, almost useless products made by ignorant non-believers, unenlightened infidels.
Apple fanboy at all?
#12
entropy13
tiggerApple fanboy at all?
Your use of such terms made it obvious that you are merely an unenlightened human. All we ask is that you embrace our teachings, and the Holy Apple would forgive you. Accept enlightenment from us, leave behind the trappings of an infidel, and you will be rewarded.
(FIH) The Doni doubt it ;)
My faith for the Blessed Company has never wavered! But I would forgive your error, since you are indeed still unenlightened.
Posted on Reply
#13
Frick
Fishfaced Nincompoop
WTF is wrong with you people?
Posted on Reply
#14
(FIH) The Don
FrickWTF is wrong with you people?
wtf is wrong with your sense of humor -.- :banghead:
Posted on Reply
#15
Unregistered
I understand humour, but coming across as a douchy apple troll does not make me laugh.
#17
xenocide
(FIH) The Donwont matter if they didnt seek for patent back then

so if apple gets the patent, and toshiba has wasted 4+ yrs to research it
If Toshiba has proof of any working models before Apple is granted the patents, anyone can claim prior art when Apple attacks them. I guarantee Apple noticed Toshiba had started developing it, and patented it just in case it caught on.
Posted on Reply
#18
RejZoR
Patenting a fuel cell powered notebook is like patenting a battery driven notebook (and i don't think anyone holds patent for that). Nonsense galore. I mean you can't patent the usage of two separate existing technologies together as your own invention. If so, i'll patent usage of banana and chocolate together.
Posted on Reply
#19
Shihab
So basically, in the near future gas stations will have a third line ?
Posted on Reply
#20
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
If this goes through I will slowly and steadily loose more respect for apple.

Some more patent ideas for Apple

rectangles that are white or black
actual apples
rectangles with screens and wimax<-wait have that one already
air
Posted on Reply
#21
HTC
I have a question: when will apple patent Newton's apple? I'm pretty sure he didn't patented that!

Joking aside, If they were the first to discover this technology then, by all means patent it, but:
tiggerToshiba beat apple to it.

www.pcworld.com/article/157606/toshibas_fuel_cell_laptop.html
In this case i don't think they have to right to do it, unless the fuel cells operate in totally different ways, which i pretty much doubt.
Posted on Reply
#22
magibeg
Isn't this basically the same as putting out a patent for having portable devices running on lithium batteries? (The same broadness I mean)
Posted on Reply
#23
Phxprovost
Xtreme Refugee
Can't wait until this gets granted, makes me smile that something as broad as coupling a computing device to a fuel cell would even be entertained. That mean in the future Apple will be able to lock down q tech they had nothing to do with? This mean in the future cars will need some secondary power source to power the in dash control systems or have to try and lease the tech from apple?
Posted on Reply
#24
Steevo
If they can patent this shit I'm going to start patenting all sorts of odd shit so my kids can sue the fuck out of whomever and make billions as a troll.


I should start a company called Granny Smith, then later cleverly change its name to a generic term for the fruit group it belongs to.
Posted on Reply
#25
f22a4bandit
The only thing this reminds me of is the Nissan Leaf commercial that intentionally pokes fun at the Volt because it still has a gas tank.
Posted on Reply
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