iChat patent links photos to voices

A new patent application filed by Apple surfaced today that separates the audio data of each participant in an iChat conference into its own track, allowing other software to handle iChat conference data in the same fashion as other audio applications that play multiple tracks. The invention specifically describes linking photos of audio conference participants to their corresponding voices, ensuring that iChat users on Macs, iPhones, and other devices would see a photo of the person speaking at any given time. The patent broadly covers both audio and video aspects of conferences, and is worded to include all manner of conferencing equipment -- including PDA devices and cellular phones. Other Apple patents that surfaced today include a Graphical user interface with improved media presentation, Computer Component Protection, Remote content updates for portable media devices, and a Deferred Shading Graphics Pipeline Processor with "Advanced Features."