Apple Patents Cell Phone Software To Reduce Dropped Calls

SAN FRANICSCO -(Dow Jones)- Apple has won a patent for a cell phone "accessory detector" that helps battle dropped calls. The accessory detector has two functions. It supposedly ensures that the various different radios on cell phones don't interfere with each other.

In addition, it also supposedly ensures that devices attached to phones also don't cause any interference or dropped calls.

"There is a need for techniques that ensure the integrity of the wireless communication with a mobile device when an accessory is coupled with the mobile device," Apple wrote in its patent application.

The detector is supposedly compatible with a wide variety of different products that Apple doesn't now manufacture: remote controllers, global positioning system (GPS) devices and wireless handheld gaming devices.

The technology's broad application is raising speculation that Apple will license the new mobile-focused software to manufacturers, thus providing a potentially lucrative source of revenue and a boost to its stock price.

But by doing so, Apple would venture into competition with a number of wireless powerhouses, including Nokia, the No. 1 seller of handsets and phone operating systems, and Microsoft, which licenses its own cell phone operating system to manufactures and any number of other top cell phone players.

Apple's motivation, however, is that any such endeavor would surely boost its sales of software and services. In 2006, Apple says it generated $1.2 billion in the sales of software, services and other items.

An Apple spokesman had no comment.

-By Ben Charny, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-765-8230; ben.charny@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 6th June 2007